Chasing After The Wind
I recently saw a list of the top five most popular posts on a productivity app’s blog.
The posts themselves weren’t really anything stunning…what struck me was the story that the collection of them told.
The five posts were titled:
- The big list of 100 tools, tips and tricks to work more efficiently online
- What multitasking does to our brains
- What happens to our brains when we exercise and how it makes us happier
- How much sleep do we really need to work productively?
- The science behind how your productivity is affected by what, how, and when you eat
Individually, all interesting but unremarkable. Collectively? They say that we’re freaking fried. This shows that we’re ALL trying to do too much, and looking for ways to do more.
What’s wrong with this picture, people?
Is this how we want to live?
I look back on the day last spring when I broke.
I had been working a lot, plus getting up really early to write, plus helping the girls with homework, and on and on.
I hit my limit.
I lost it.
I curled up in a chair, under a blanket, with my Bible and opened it to Ecclesiastes…because that’s a great read when you’re crying already. Real pick-me-up, Ecclesiastes.
And as I read, something in the fourth chapter jumped out at me:
Better one hand full with tranquility than two hands full with toil and chasing after the wind.
Y’all, we are CHASING AFTER THE WIND.
We are running harder and faster to run after something that can never be caught.
We are chasing the wrong thing.
We chase efficiency and productivity. We forget to take care of ourselves to the point where we seek out permission to sleep and exercise, and we validate doing them solely for the sake of more productivity.
How messed up is that?
Chasing after the wind, so we can have two hands full. More stuff. More stuff that doesn’t fill the gaping hole in our souls that screams for more glory and more stuff.
I know this because I have been living it–I’m currently detoxing from it.
And it’s really freaking hard.
I still overcommit.
I still value busy a little too much.
I have given up chasing the tornado; I am now just chasing a strong breeze. But I’m still learning how to find that tranquility. I’m trying to let go of the need to control it all.
Because if I stay in charge of it, I’ll be back on the internet reading those top 5 posts telling me to go get some sleep so I can be get more done when i’m awake.
I’ll find tranquility, but only if I let God take it all over and tell me where to put my foot as I take each step. And He is telling me to relax.
So… Go get some sleep.
What wind are you chasing? Leave a comment…
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About Christine
I’m a writer, a recovering project manager, and a corporate refugee with a passion to share the lessons I've learned. I've worked with bestselling authors to launch nearly a million dollars' worth of books and online courses. I've seen what works (and what doesn't), and I know what it takes for a growing writer to get your work out and grow as you go.
Such a great post. I am really learning to not chase the wind. I’m trying to enjoy every day and live it to the fullest. Thanks for the reminders!
It’s hard to learn, but every little lesson confirms it’s the right direction, doesn’t it? You’re doing great! So proud of you!!
Christine, I really needed this today. Thank you!!
You’re welcome. But what you really need is to come over here and eat borsch with us and tell us about Mexico. We miss you!!!
chasing to many winds!..lol. i love your perspective. just what i needed to read today as i take time to refuel and re-energize and focus on one thing at a time.
Thanks Ngina! It’s hard, but so important…
I’ll tell Joe I’m not posting at The Write Practice tomorrow because you told me to sleep. 😉 But really, I’m a little sad those post titles are hyperlinks…
DOH!!!! It wasn’t me, Joe! It wasn’t me!!
Do you mean aren’t? DOH! I just copied/pasted them and the links must have dropped. I’ll update later today if I have a few minutes to dig the original email out of the trash….but they’re from blog.bufferapp.com.
Sleep, what’s that? No really.. 😉
Your post reminds me that unless we are focused on what He wants us to focus on, we’ll be exhausted, running around in circles chasing our tails and never get anywhere.
And who wants to be doing that all the time? Certainly not me. I want to fix my eyes on Him, follow His steps for my life, and finish the race He has placed me in.
No chasing the wind for me!
That’s exactly it, Denise. At that point, I was spending WAY too much of my time chasing my tail. You inspire me… 🙂
…no one in history has ever had it as good as King Solomon…
(the author of Ecclesiastes)
more of everything than any of us can imagine.
(Including both: Wisdom & Folly – Lots of Tangos with Tornado’s)
A very Simple Formula for Living
J – Jesus
O – Others
Y – Yourself
Rest in Him, Relax with Others, NJOY u’r Wknd…>
Absolutely right, Mark. No one had more than Solomon, yet not too many were more unhappy than him. Very much a lesson for us…if we have “it all” without love and purpose beyond ourselves, then we have nothing.