How was your Holy Week break? I hope you had a restful and reflective one. 😊
For most of us, the Lenten break serves as a time to recuperate either by staying home or going on a vacation; for some, it’s a time for spring cleaning. 😆 Either way, the 4-day holiday is a chance for us to pause from our routines.
I wish I can say I had an awesome break but that would be a lie. Sure, I was able to physically rest. But my mind was like a cluttered desk that no one else in the office dares to touch. I was physically okay but I had too many things on my mind.
At work this morning, I stumbled upon an article on Desiring God and the part that stood out for me was the mention of Martha [Luke 10:38-42]. Within a span of five days, this was the third time that I’ve read something that mentioned Martha. I began to wonder why. This has to be a message from God, I thought. But what was it exactly? You’d think it’d be obvious right off the bat, but humans are flawed like that — we can be blind to the obvious.
So I sent the link to my friend (because we were discussing how human emotions and thoughts are so deceptive) and I told her of my Martha dilemma. She then asked me if I’ve been too busy with unimportant things lately. I said yes, because I’ve definitely had an unhealthy dose of Korean shows and as usual, I’m stressed out with work stuff. We concluded that I was being a Martha. Of course, I had to get more validation from Google, which led me to 6 clues you’re acting more like Martha than Mary:
- You are worried or distracted by many things.
- You’re disgruntled because you feel like you are doing all the work.
- You feel like Jesus doesn’t care about your situation.
- You’re having theological discussions with Jesus instead of listening to Him.
- You make rational excuses about why you can’t do what Jesus tells you to do.
- You’re still in the kitchen while others are lavishing worship on Jesus.
Sadly, I was able to relate to most of the above. I was worried and distracted by a lot of things, and I sometimes (embarrassingly) feel like I’m doing all the work. While I do believe Jesus cares about me, I sometimes question why I am where I am when others seem to be having the time of their lives. I do read the Bible regularly, even delving into study guides from The Bible Project (thus, theological) but my prayers have been short, and seemed more like a wish list than an actual conversation with God. Excuses for disobedience? I have plenty. Excuses for not spending quality time with God? Check! If this isn’t proof of me being a Martha, I don’t know what is.
So I’ve got the confirmation. Now, what do I do? How do I become a Mary and not a Martha?
For one, I have to stop comparing myself to others. Not easy last week when almost everyone I know traveled somewhere nice while I was stuck at home. I allowed myself to be envious, which is silly because 1) I made the choice to stay home, and 2) I know that photos on social media are just snapshots, not the whole story. In the same way, I know I should also stop “counting” my work (whether at home, office, small group, or in the ministry) and just do what I have to do with a joyful heart, not expecting rewards or compliments from other people. And definitely, no grumbling [Philippians 2:14].
Theology is well and good (and The Bible Project’s stuff are really helpful for anyone who wants to get a deeper appreciation for the Bible and its historical background) but as followers of Christ, we should strive to not just know about Him but more importantly to know Him. Our personal relationship with Him (strengthened by quiet time, reading the Bible and praying) is more important than anything else, even ministry work. After all, our intimacy with Christ reflects outwardly and translates into every work we do.
The thing that’s really impressed upon me though, is the need to STOP WORRYING. The things I worry about are petty stuff for Jesus that it baffles me now why I even worry about it in the first place. Fear, anxiety, worry — these things are lies from the enemy, lies that rob us of our joy and peace. When I let worry take over my head, I’m letting myself forget that God cares enough to let His own Son die for me [Romans 8:32], and that I have the strength to do all things [Philippians 4:13], and that He’ll never leave me nor forsake me [Deuteronomy 31:6]. Philippians 4:6 tells us to “not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” and verse 7 promises that “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” To worry is to reject that peace and to display a lack of trust in what God can do. When this hit me, I realized that I’ve not only inflicted stress upon myself but also became unfaithful in the process. Ouch.
I thank the Lord for using Martha’s story (not once but thrice!) to wake me up from my foolishness and for reminding me to stop focusing on myself, what I can and can’t do (a side effect of worrying). I pray that, like Mary, we’ll choose the good portion [Luke 10:42] which will not be taken from us. Cheers! ❤️
