Hi Sunflowers! It’s been a while since I have been here. I continue to do technical boring things for my blog, but this is the part I enjoy the most. I have also been working on my poetry book behind the scenes. Glad to be back on…
So, most of you already know the story in the bible about Mary and Martha. But if you don’t, let me refresh your memory with some scripture because this is important.
38 As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. 40 But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”
Luke 10:38-42 (NLT), Biblegateway.com
41 But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! 42 There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”
It was brought to my attention that although I am doing well with so many areas on the vision board I had created at the beginning of the year, I realized that words like Rest, Self-Care, Relax, and Refresh got thrown out the window real quick!
We won’t even go there with the bold words, “Feeling Healthy” and “Losing Weight” that are on my board.
To be honest, staying balanced has always been such a tough concept for me. I tend to keep going, I have no brakes, I am too fast, and rely on phrases like “I will sleep when I’m dead” or the Nike slogan “Just Do It!”
But you know what I realized is, these sayings can sometimes become plain dumb.
Why? Because if I continue to keep going, I will be burnt out.
Not to mention, I actually am burnt out now. Don’t be like me. It takes many years to get back to your original energized self. It’s not cute!
To me, what I am getting from these scriptures, is really not a comparison of which woman is right or wrong, but that there is a time to put in work and there is a time to just lay at Jesus’ feet.
It’s called being well balanced. That’s why I say I am both Mary and Martha. Or at least I would like to be.
8 Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour.
1 Peter 5:8 (AMP), Bible.com
What a blessing to know the perfect timing to rest and listen to God, then to know when He says “Time to go!” This is a constant prayer for myself and my family.
The funny thing is that I actually started a devotional at the beginning of the year named “Find Rest”, by Shaunti Feldhahn. She is a wonderful author by the way! I had stopped reading this book and recently picked it back up. One thing that stood out to me that she wrote while talking about being a fearless daughter of Christ is:
Or maybe your fear is less about what others think of you and more about your ability to get it all done. Maybe your problem (and mine, too!) is being unwilling to set aside the urgent for the important.
Shaunti Feldhahn, excerpt from”Find Rest”,
A Women’s Devotional for Lasting Peace in a Busy Life
This concept of setting aside the urgent for the important sounded so unusual. I Googled the definition of both words. It said the definitions were from Oxford Languages Dictionary.
URGENT: (of a state or situation) requiring immediate action or attention.
IMPORTANT: of great significance or value; likely to have a profound effect on success, survival, or well-being.
You see, Martha was not a bad person. Jesus went there to visit both of these ladies. But the thing is, that if Martha were to continue only serving instead of being filled by laying at Jesus’ feet, developing a relationship with Him, what was once just important, would have become urgent. Boom!
Examples:
- It’s not important to make a budget, this leads to debt, now it’s urgent I don’t lose my home!
- It’s not important to meal prep, I eat unhealthy fast food, get diabetes, now it’s urgent I use insulin!
- It’s not important to discipline my children, they become rebellious, start slacking at school, now it’s urgent I get them a tutor!
- It’s not important to listen and show love to my spouse, besides, I am working and that should be enough provision. They no longer wait for me to come home from work because their out with someone who will show them attention, now it’s urgent we get counseling!
choose the important over urgent
Hey, I get it! Life is busy, busy, busy!!! But if we continue to think like this and we don’t see the importance of spending time in self-care, our family or God, it all becomes urgent anyway…sounds like doing the important is actually and literally what is most important!
Ouch! Does your brain hurt, or is it real clear to you now? Let’s take a test and find out.
Do I need to wash the dishes before I go to sleep every single night or do I need to spend time in bed with my husband? If you answered “wash the dishes first”, then Behhhhhh!!! You are wrong!
By the way, that was supposed to be a buzzard sound like at a game show when you get the answer wrong…you know, just in case you didn’t get it. (wink, wink)
pick relationship over serving
Let’s make memories, a moment in time that can never be taken away from us. Something we can cherish. Let’s pick the relationship over serving sometimes. Let’s rest once in a while instead of meeting every deadline.
How do we rest?
No really? I am asking for myself here as well. This is a question that I often ask God.
Some things that I have come up with or already do is first thing in the morning I pray and praise God. I thank Him for what He is going to do or has already done.
I meditate on His word by looking up scriptures that have the word “Rest” in them.
Before I complete a task or open my mouth, I simply ask that He be with me.
28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28-30, (NLT), Biblegateway.com
29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
29 He gives power to the weak
Isaiah 40:29-31 (NLT), Biblegateway.com
and strength to the powerless.
30 Even youths will become weak and tired,
and young men will fall in exhaustion.
31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.
I hope this picture below helps the both of us to remember what to do while we REST.
Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Thank you that Your word says we can lay all burdens upon You. We need You to show us balance and rest. Show us when to be a Mary and when to be a Martha. Give us the perfect timing to either walk into our future or just rest in the present time.
Keep all our priorities in order. Help us keep You first so that everything else will fall into place. Don’t let us grow weary but instead infuse us with strength and energy. We ask for the power to complete tasks and also to enjoy everyday life. Your word says that birds neither sow nor reap but You still make sure they have everything they need.
Help us to know that we are so much more valuable and important to you then we think. You care about every minor detail in our lives and you want the very best for us. We praise You for all you have given to us, keeping us healthy and sane, and being with our families.
In Jesus Name, we pray.
Amen!
