Have you ever been distracted, worried, or irritated? If you’re like me, your answer to this question is a resounding “yes.” The truth is that at times, life is so full, so busy, and so cluttered that we become distracted by everything that’s going on around us and miss meaningful moments with God and others. Much like Martha, we are consumed by work, service, and every manner of doing rather than simply being. While she was an excellent hostess, her behavior was in stark contrast to her sister Mary, who was eager to sit at the Lord’s feet to just listen and learn from Him. Though we tend to deem one of these sister’s reactions wrong and the other right, the truth is that both are acceptable because there is a season for each — the key is to maintain balance. Unfortunately, our tendency as humans is to become so engulfed in the busyness of life that we abandon the one thing that truly satisfies and cannot be taken away — fellowship with our Heavenly Father. While there’s always a time for work, there must also be a time for rest, and spending peaceful moments in God’s presence leads to finding it in the truest sense. 

My friend, one of the good things about this time in history is that it offers fewer distractions. While work and entertainment tend to blur your vision and offset your focus, right now, the slower pace demanded by the ongoing pandemic gives you time to sit at the Lord’s feet and soak up His peaceful presence. While I empathize with Martha and her desire to serve her Savior with excellence, the reality is that Mary understood the remarkable reality that true power comes from being still. Like these two sisters, you have a choice to make every day — you can be consumed by the cares of life or choose to commune with your Father in Heaven and hand your worries over to Him. Since He is ever-watchful and faithful, nothing delights Him more than His children finding joy, rest, and fulfillment in Him and Him alone.