Balance me, Lord!
Last night ended a twelve week study of the book, Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World, with the ladies at our church in Morgan City. When we began this study, I could never have imagined how much I would learn from this group of ladies God was calling me to lead. God has taught me so many things on this twelve week journey, but there is one lesson I want to share with you today. The truths of this lesson have the potential to change my life (and yours!), if I will only take what He has taught me and be faithful to use it.
Every time I approach the story of Mary and Martha, I have this nagging feeling....you know the one. Well, you do if you are a "Martha Type." We sure do get a bad name in this story! How dare we prepare a meal in the kitchen, when there is worship to be done in the living room. Martha was too busy, too distracted, and too worried to worship and boy have I been there. And because I have a tendency toward extreme "all or nothing" thinking, I always leave this story with a new resolution to do nothing but pray and read my Bible and not become bogged down with work. But sure enough, life sets in and I find it impossible to spend five hours a day in prayer and Bible study. The enemy is right there to discourage me, feeding me the lie that busyness is evil, and I can never be the woman of God I have been called to be with so much on my plate.
But the truth is, what God longs for us to have in our lives is balance. A life filled with worship and work... love and service ... both coming together for the glory of His kingdom.
We need to use our gifts to carry out His great work in the areas we have been called to serve. This might be in the kitchen of our own home, as we prepare dinner for our family, in the church nursery as we care for little ones, so their parents can have the opportunity to worship, or anywhere else God opens the door. You get the picture. (1 Peter 4:10 "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace")
But we must do all of this with an attitude of worship, realizing that we are powerless in and of ourselves. It takes God working with us, though His Spirit in us, to accomplish the work He has called us to. We have to be faithful worshipers, spending time in prayer, and bible study, equipping ourselves for service.
(Psalm 16:2 " I say to the Lord, 'You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.'")
Before I go any further, let me say that no one is called to do EVERYTHING. That is another lie from the enemy. If we are worried and bogged down, than we need to pray for guidance about what God is calling us to do and what God is calling us to let go. Also, let me say that this balance will sometimes seem one-sided. One of my dearest friends, Susan, has shared with me that God has used this period of her life as a "soaking time." God has slowed her down, given her a burden for interceding for others in prayer, and drawn her closer to Himself in the quietness of her days. Isn't that beautiful and isn't that just like our God? He never lets us run dry. He prepares us for seasons of busyness, with seasons of quiet. He energizes us after seasons of quiet with seasons of service. He is so good. And if we are faithful to walk with Him, close to Him, He will be faithful to give us the balance He desires for us to have.
Every time I approach the story of Mary and Martha, I have this nagging feeling....you know the one. Well, you do if you are a "Martha Type." We sure do get a bad name in this story! How dare we prepare a meal in the kitchen, when there is worship to be done in the living room. Martha was too busy, too distracted, and too worried to worship and boy have I been there. And because I have a tendency toward extreme "all or nothing" thinking, I always leave this story with a new resolution to do nothing but pray and read my Bible and not become bogged down with work. But sure enough, life sets in and I find it impossible to spend five hours a day in prayer and Bible study. The enemy is right there to discourage me, feeding me the lie that busyness is evil, and I can never be the woman of God I have been called to be with so much on my plate.
But the truth is, what God longs for us to have in our lives is balance. A life filled with worship and work... love and service ... both coming together for the glory of His kingdom.
We need to use our gifts to carry out His great work in the areas we have been called to serve. This might be in the kitchen of our own home, as we prepare dinner for our family, in the church nursery as we care for little ones, so their parents can have the opportunity to worship, or anywhere else God opens the door. You get the picture. (1 Peter 4:10 "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace")
But we must do all of this with an attitude of worship, realizing that we are powerless in and of ourselves. It takes God working with us, though His Spirit in us, to accomplish the work He has called us to. We have to be faithful worshipers, spending time in prayer, and bible study, equipping ourselves for service.
(Psalm 16:2 " I say to the Lord, 'You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.'")
Before I go any further, let me say that no one is called to do EVERYTHING. That is another lie from the enemy. If we are worried and bogged down, than we need to pray for guidance about what God is calling us to do and what God is calling us to let go. Also, let me say that this balance will sometimes seem one-sided. One of my dearest friends, Susan, has shared with me that God has used this period of her life as a "soaking time." God has slowed her down, given her a burden for interceding for others in prayer, and drawn her closer to Himself in the quietness of her days. Isn't that beautiful and isn't that just like our God? He never lets us run dry. He prepares us for seasons of busyness, with seasons of quiet. He energizes us after seasons of quiet with seasons of service. He is so good. And if we are faithful to walk with Him, close to Him, He will be faithful to give us the balance He desires for us to have.
love you- and your thoughts. I'm always eager for more Valarie time so I can hear all that God is doing in you and help me process what His word says about His children.
ReplyDeletePS- I think you need to update your "about me" section to include another little pumpkin :)