We had a little miracle at our house yesterday.

It was warm enough to open a few windows and as I walked by one, I noticed spring has finally come to our neighborhood. I could smell the lilac blooms even before I could see them. The grass has shed its brown stringy look and is joined by bright yellow dandelions. It is finally the season for old dead stuff to become nourishment for new growth.

Spring isn’t a miracle. It happens every year.The miracle was that I noticed it.

The last few weeks have been hectic to say the least. After three weeks buried in working on a book project, behind the scenes ministry work, and conferences, it was a miracle that I noticed my surroundings at all. It was an even bigger miracle that I stopped for a minute to soak them in.

Life has been so busy.

I know the traditional line of thought is to cut out the unimportant stuff so there’s more time to notice the important things around you and I agree with that wholeheartedly, but sometimes there aren’t any unimportant things left to cut. How do you decide between family, kid’s school, ministry, coaching clients, marriage, and church? The truth is you don’t.

Sometimes God calls you to a hectic season.

What? How is that possible? Isn’t a Christian life supposed to be peaceful and unhurried? I’m sorry to disappoint but, that’s not always the case. Sometimes there are seasons of transition that get a little crazy. Sometimes He calls you to a ministry that needs a little extra push to get off the ground.

Sometimes He puts you right in the middle of a crazy season, like the one I am in, because there’s work for you to do there. But being busy doesn’t always mean you’re doing God’s work.

Too many irons in the fire will cause you to crash and burn if God’s not in it. I’ve seen friends in ministry drag their family and congregation down with them, because they refused to let go of projects that needed to die. Christian burnout is ugly, and the only way to know if this is self-inflicted busyness or God’s work, is to stay connected to God. Ask Him if there is something you need to put down. Ask Him if you’re headed in the right direction. Most importantly, take time to stop and soak Him in.

A few minutes each day to center yourself on God will bring peace to your heart during a hectic season.

I can guarantee you that this won’t happen by accident. You have to schedule your time in with God or it won’t happen nearly as often as you want it to. I scheduled a day off yesterday so that I could enjoy it without feeling guilty about the work that did not get done. Early last week I penciled in church, small group, and family time into my planner. It was going to happen, even if there was more work to be done.

Dishes sat in the sink. Emails went unanswered. My computer did not get turned on. I said no to burnout and took a break.

Sounds a lot like a Sabbath, doesn’t it?

This super busy season is what God is calling my family to right now, and perhaps God is calling you to a busy season right now too. Just know that although it may be hectic, this season isn’t made to destroy us and it won’t always be like this. God is simply getting us ready for something to come, and we have to trust that it is there and will bear the fruit God is calling us to cultivate right now.

Like the lilac that blooms outside my window, we can smell the future even before we see it.

What about you? Are you in a busy season right now? How do you make time to find God during this time? Let me know in the comments! And if you’re looking to link arms with other women of faith during their busy seasons, don’t forget to join our community, Christian Women Who Lead!