Book Review: Crazy Busy
A (mercifully) short book about a (really) big problem
If you're too busy to read a small book on busyness, you are probably too busy!
Kevin DeYoung is crazy busy, but he did find the time to write a masterful book that challenges his readers to consider why their schedules and lives are full and overflowing.
Crazy Busy is not a time management book. If one is searching for life hacks to get more done, they will have to look elsewhere. Crazy Busy is more of a heart check. It delves deep into the underbelly of our busyness to see what is driving our frantic and frazzled lives.
DeYoung uncovers much of what drives us to exhaustion in only ten chapters and a hundred and eighteen pages. One big culprit? Pride. DeYoung describes pride as "the villain with a thousand faces" (35). DeYoung outlines twelve ways pride drives us to busyness. He calls these "The Killer P's": People-pleasing, pats on the back, performance evaluation, possessions, proving ourselves, pity, poor planning, power, perfectionism, position, prestige, and posting on social media. We become so busy trying to look good that we fail to do good.
People may be aware of the detriment that the stress of overwork, mental strain, and busyness poses to one's physical health. But few consider just how spiritually dangerous busyness is! DeYoung outlines how busyness can harm us spiritually by robbing us of our joy, robbing us of our spiritual growth, and covering up what he describes as "the spiritual rot in our souls" (30). He boldly asserts that "Busyness kills more Christians than bullets" (30).
This reviewer especially appreciated the focus of chapter four, "The Terror of Total Obligation." With so many "good" things to do in life and so many voices crying out that we should act, Christians can live with an uneasy guilt that they are never doing enough. The cry of "more, more, more" is ever filling our ears. Witness more. Give more. Serve more. Help more. DeYoung offers some corrective thoughts that help soothe the weary one's conscience. Among them is remembering that we are not Christ, we should care but not always do, and we all have different gifts and callings. DeYoung holds Christ up as an example: "He did not try to do it all. And yet, he did everything God asked him to do" (50).
DeYoung addresses other contributing factors to busyness, including mission creep (chapter 5), freaking out over your kids (chapter 6), the need for rest (chapter 8), and the call to suffer (chapter 9). In the final chapter, DeYoung offers one suggestion to counter the busyness of life - spend time in the Word and prayer. DeYoung contends, "Starting each day with eternity makes our petty problems and long to-do lists seem less significant" (116).
An honest reading of the book will cause one to evaluate not only their schedule but also their heart. Reading Crazy Busy is definitely worth cramming into your already overflowing schedule!
Find it here: Crossway Amazon ChristianBook Westminster Bookstore