“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but only this is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42
Troubled About Many Things
On any given day, I feel pulled in a dozen different directions. I am a mom, tending to the many needs of my home and homeschooling my three kids. I am a daughter, helping care for my parents who live nearby. I am a wife, supporting my husband in his many responsibilities at work and around our home. I am a friend, linking arms with women – many of whom are carrying heavy burdens. I am a neighbor, seeking to share the light and love of Jesus with the lost and hurting, right outside my door.
My guess is that, even though your list of roles and responsibilities may be different than mine, you may share the sense of overwhelm I sometimes feel as I try to balance it all! We wear many hats, and life is complex and unpredictable. At times it can feel like we are simply trying to stay afloat in a tumultuous sea!
Cultural Pressure
But this is not all we face. Next, we add in the pressures, expectations, and patterns of our culture. Social media tells the story of the picture-perfect lives of others who seem to be juggling everything just fine. Our culture cheers us on: “You can do it all!” Guilt and discouragement jump on our backs as we shoulder our already, heavy burden.
Then there is the over stimulation of so much that vies for our time: Youtube channels, podcasts, online sermons, and a million TV channels to stream when we just “need to veg”, not to mention the deluge of news available to consume each day. The world is at our fingertips, and we feel we need to keep up with all of it – trends and hobbies, social media, and the nightly news.
Friends, we are in the fight of our lives, and we’re buried under this pile of time-wasters. It’s no wonder anxiety and depression are on the rise. It feels like we’re on a merry-go-round that is spinning perpetually faster and faster; we want to get off, but it feels perilous to do anything other than hang on for dear life, as we continue to spin around.
Abide
But I have good news! We can step off the merry-go-round safely. In fact, our loving Father is calling us to. He doesn’t want us stressed, distracted, and stretched thin. He gives the solution to our dilemma: “Abide in Me.” He stands alongside the merry-go-round and asks us to jump into His strong arms. This doesn’t mean that we shirk our responsibilities and shut ourselves away from the world. To abide in Him means we engage in our daily responsibilities, recognizing He is by our side. We serve in His strength. As for those other stressors – the distractions and time-wasters? We’d be wise to lay them before Him and ask what limits we should set, or maybe which of them we should set aside altogether.
The Good Portion
As Jesus told Martha, it is so important for us to choose the good portion - to take time to enjoy the presence of the Lord. We must be rooted and established in Him, filled up to pour out – one day at a time. Daily time immersed in His Word is the key! It can be so hard to carve out that sacred time, tuning out all other thoughts of what needs to be done and tuning our ears to the sounds of His voice, but it is our lifeline to the Spirit-filled life!
If this is a habit you’re just beginning, I’d recommend committing to just ten or fifteen minutes a day. The Psalms and Proverbs are an easy place to start; just read one a day. You can lengthen the time you spend as you go. Linger in His presence as long as you’re able and then get up off the couch and walk with Him through the rest of your day. Ask Him what to prioritize. Ask Him how to handle that sticky situation with your co-worker. Ask Him if He’d like you to say anything to the cashier at the grocery store.
In addition to spending time with the Lord each day, I have found it helpful to replace those time-wasters with soul-fillers. Here are a few ideas.
10 Ways to Feed Your Soul
1) Memorize scripture. Pick a verse or a passage, set a timer for 10 minutes each day, and commit God’s Word to memory! Write it out, make up hand motions, put it to a tune – whatever it takes to hide God’s Word in your heart!
2) Set a limit on your daily media time.
3) Pick up a good book and read during the time you would have been on social media.
4) Invite friends over to sit around the firepit and talk about how you’ve seen God’s goodness this week. (If you don’t have a fire pit, get one! It’s a worthwhile investment!)
5) Get out in nature and marvel at God’s creation. Move slow and notice His creative details. What do you smell? What do you see? What do you hear?
6) Listen to worship music as you go through your day. Fill your house with worship!
7) Light a candle and, as you do, give anything that’s been troubling you to the Lord.
8) Have a power down weekend. Turn off the TV, put your phone away, and if you are feeling really adventurous, pull out the candles and turn off the lights!
9) Take a walk with God – listen to worship music and pray.
10) If you’re a musical person, host a worship night. Invite friends for a potluck meal beforehand.
Take a few minutes to jot down a list of your own soul-fillers. Be creative, slow down, be intentional, and tune out the noise. I promise you’ll be glad you did!
I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing (John 15:5).
Resources for guided time in the Word
Women of the Word: How to Study the Bible with Both Our Hearts and Our Minds by Jen Wilkin
Excellent Book and Topical Bible Studies at thedailygraceco.com
The Dwell: Audio Bible app
Author & Photography Note:
Kristen Brewer lives in northern Idaho with her husband and three kids. She enjoys coffee, a good book, being outside, and spending time with her people. Most of all, she desires to be about the business of the Kingdom and be an encouragement to women in their walk with Jesus. Occasionally she shares her ponderings at www.a-gaze-fixed.com and on Instagram @a.gaze.fixed. She’d love to meet you there.
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