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God has made it very clear that He wants us to have a fantastic life. We know this because Jesus Christ informed us that we should pray that God’s Will be done on earth as it is in heaven. In heaven, everything is beautiful and joyful, because everything there operates off of an unshakeable faith in God. Doubt is not a part of heaven’s culture, yet it is so prevalent here in the earth. We doubt God’s ability. We doubt His love for us, and we doubt whether or not He will bless us and cause our dreams to become a reality. It is impossible to put into words how hurtful this is to the core of our very beings. Some of us have been through terrible heartache and pain. We’ve suffered tremendous loss, and because of it we have internally shut down. We have shutdown to such an extent, that everything to us looks like the potential for a problem instead of a solution to one. This is how we know we’ve turned left when we should have turned right, but we can change this.
The bottom line is that as Sisters in the faith, we’ve got to get to the place where the storm doesn’t scare us. We’ve become too reactionary to the devil’s distractions. We’ve made it a lifestyle. We react to situations and circumstances by responding with an attitude, thought, or behavior that we think is right, but it is very often more sabotaging than helpful. It’s a response that reeks of fear rather than faith, but it so subtle sometimes that we don’t even notice what we’re doing. Jesus Christ gave us marvelous insight into this in Luke 10:38-42(NLT).
Jesus visited Mary and Martha in their home in Bethany. Martha was the keeper of the home, and from this we can gather that she was principle in its care and comfort. Jesus Christ went about doing good wherever he went, but he did not travel alone; most often the disciples were with him. News of his tremendous compassion and wonder working power was talked about all over, and it was looked upon by many, as well it should, to be an esteemed privilege to entertain Jesus and his disciples. We can well imagine that as a woman living during those times, Martha would have felt a particular duty and weight of this responsibility.
Martha was like so many of us who have felt it necessary to carry responsibilities and burdens far in excess of what any one person should shoulder alone. We do it because we believe we have to, and because we don’t feel free in our souls to pursue lighter choices. Mary, Martha’s sister, sat at the feet of Jesus, listening intently to him teach. What better place to be? Martha was distracted with the details of the big dinner she was preparing. Verse 40 tells us, “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.”
Even those without sisters can put themselves in Martha’s shoes. We know exactly the tone and tenor of her feelings in that moment. In her mind, this was serious shade thrown by her own sister, Mary. It might even have been a habit pattern of Mary’s to leave Martha to do all the work, but in that moment—in the eyes of Jesus, this didn’t matter. Jesus said to Martha in verse 41, “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.”
Mary sat down to hear the message of Christ. She stopped everything to attune her soul to Jesus, so that he could nourish it. How many of us do the same? Martha is admirable in many respects. There is no doubt that her intentions were framed from a pursuit of excellence, but we would be remised if we did not consider the eminent danger to her soul had she continued with her lack of consciousness. Martha wrongly prioritized preparations over provision, and this caused her motives to become so out of whack that for her left became right.
The Provider, the Way-Maker, was in her midst, willing to share with her great keys of the Kingdom, but her fear would not allow her to take it in. Martha felt a need to preserve routine. Instead of recognizing the ginormous opportunity to be fed spiritually by Jesus Christ, she allowed this need to preserve routine to override the liberty that he presented. Many of us quickly respond to opposition and obstacles this way. We see threats where there is opportunity. We let our emotions become out of control. In the midst of even small showers of uneasiness, our minds race with troublesome thoughts, indignation, and negative self-talk. We let our thoughts and feelings get away from us.
Sisters, like Mary, the long reaches of our minds and hearts must be available and able to wrap around Jesus, and smother him with our attentiveness and care. Through the new birth reality, we have made the commitment to love him in this complete and all-embracing way, but when our emotions are out of control, our minds and hearts are shutdown through fear. If we will not nip this habit pattern of fear in the bud, we risk imploding in the most destructive ways.
Faith is demanded of us, not because God wants to put the hammer down, but because there is no moment in which He will not hold us up. There is no moment in which His love is removed from us. He’s with us an eternity, every moment of every day. Through Jesus Christ we can rest in the presence of Heavenly Father, knowing He is the Almighty God; knowing He is the Provision and Provider of all that is good; knowing that He will never fail us. Faith is not unsteady or unsure. It is the rock solid truth of God’s Word. It causes us to remain anchored in Christ, come what may.
Martha was worldly in her request to Jesus, and it can be said of so many of us that are loaded down with concern over everything but the conditions of our own souls. When your emotions and thoughts are raging out of control, it is very hard to be calm in the middle of a storm, and to trust that God is helping you make it through. We absolutely must learn to trust God and fall back from anxiety and worry, so that we can tap into Him and allow HIS PROVISION and HIS POWER to be at work.
The Holy Spirit inside of us works with us. Let me say this again. Please, please, please allow this to marinate in your heart and mind. Think on it. Meditate on it. Let the Spirit confirm it for you. He doesn’t need anything from us other than our cooperation. How do we cooperate? We cooperate with the Spirit that indwells us by trusting God with our whole hearts, with total submission, and total surrender. Seek first the Kingdom of God and HIS righteousness, and it will amaze you what God will do for you. ■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
“Only One Thing Worth Being Concerned About!” written by Reverend Fran Mack, edited by Kim Times for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2016. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.
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Thank you for this wonderful word! What a timely word.
Yes, through much past heartache, pain, loss, broken relationships, family strife, and numerous other negative situations, I was once at a point in my life just to expect that it’s just going to be that way for me. I figured I would just have to deal with it one way or another. I let all of my dreams go, because to that point they hadn’t manifested. I told myself, “don’t try to do better or more. Settle for enough to get by on, and I’ll be alright.”
No, it’s not that I didn’t have faith. I have plenty, for everyone else! Somehow I got to the point where I settled, and stopped believing for more for myself. I just accepted it. I guess you could say I played it “safe.” Don’t expect anything, I won’t lose anything. It’s easier when your “safe.” But I heard a message today, one that I’ve heard many times over the years, that reminded me about what God wants for us, and it certainly isn’t mediocrity. Jesus said, ” I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” . … John 10:10
As I type this, I believe that I’ve been my worst critic, and potentially, if not, the only real cause of my being “stuck” in mediocrity .
I think sometimes when we’re “stuck” and don’t see any progress, and or growth in our lives, it could very well be that we just need to get out of our own way, put our faith (that we often have more for others than ourselves) to work and “push through” in order to receive the blessings God wants us to have. Now, you know I’m talking to myself 🙂
As I look back on some of my hardest life circumstances, I can honestly say that it was only the Lord, God who got me through them! We *(I) need to take Jesus at His Word! He, and He alone, is our Provider and Way Maker! The Word of God is the Truth!
It’s a matter of who, or what your putting your faith in. Chose God, He’ll never let you down.
God bless you
Thank you for this valuable message.
Sista Loretta,
You are truly awesome!!! Thank you for your continued support!