Ask someone why they don’t read, and you will likely receive a variation of, “I am too busy” or “I don’t have the time.” I don’t appreciate that answer. I certainly understand it, but I’m still not too fond of it because the answer implies that reading merely adds to the busyness of already hectic lives. My perspective is different; I would say reading done well does not increase busyness but, instead, decreases it.
Now, because you’re a reader, you appreciate authors who utilize logic and order to convey arguments. Therefore, you know that the last paragraph is irrational. I’ll admit that, but I’ll stand behind a critical principle: reading neutralizes (or at least stabilizes) busy lives. Therefore, the answer to busyness is not to read less but to read more.
Reading Encourages Relaxation
There is a reason that so many people utilize reading as a tool for relaxation. A busy lifestyle is not often characterized by excessive activity only. Instead, it is also associated with additional aspects such as stress, tension, and anxiety. Reading offers a reprieve, an opportunity to slow down.
Reading Encourages Character
In a manifestation of His grace and by the work of His Spirit, our God uses reading to instill and develop character. Character is a crucial aspect of the busyness of our lives, determining why we are busy and how we handle it. However, the books we read may have a direct impact by:
- Convicting us not to be busy for the sake of being busy
- Convincing us to subdue busyness in our life
- Coaching us on how to handle stress, anxiety, tension, etc., by relying on God and placing all things in His hands.
Such influence does not come from reading anything and everything. For reading to have this kind of effect means being discriminate in what we read, starting with a healthy consumption of Scripture supplemented by books that teach Scripture.
Reading Encourages Prioritization
Finally, reading imparts God’s will and wisdom. So that we do not fill our lives with anything and everything, God’s will and wisdom are crucial for discerning His priorities for our lives. Therefore, by cultivating reading in our lives, we develop a knowledge of both.
When we understand God’s will and wisdom, we are better able to prioritize the tasks that create busyness in our lives. We will begin to bring our lives more into alignment with His priorities, and you know what often happens then? We generally become less busy.
I am not advocating irresponsibility in which you neglect essential tasks for the sake of reading. Do not sacrifice your meals or forgo bathing your children during the week so that you are able to read more. Yet, neither am I qualifying reading as sitting with a book for several hours at a time. There is value in reading for sustained periods, and we should all be reading more like this, but amid busyness, take 15 minutes instead.
I find reading essential to the quality of life. While being busy may detract from that quality, reading adds to it. Therefore, don’t read to be busy; rather, read because you are busy.
