31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes Day 18: Staying Active Does Not Spell Success in Jesus’s Eyes

I grapple with staying active in many other areas of my life, such as housework, being the best mom in the world, developing a consistent writing schedule, or writing the next bestseller. The list grows as I try to overcome and succeed on several fronts.

Sometimes, I want to throw in the towel and give up all dreams of success in my active and busy life. I find hope in the fact that striving to top the list and be the best does not make a person a success in God’s eyes. I loved the story of Mary and Martha.

We all know it so well. Martha harried and active jealously begs Jesus for Mary to become more like her, caught up in a tizzy of activity and service. She reclines at His feet, hanging on to His every word. Instead of a tongue lashing for Mary, Jesus chides Martha.

The activity that Jesus’s stresses, however, means giving up our goals and business. He wants us to slow down and sit at His feet. I hear Him in my mind as I think about all I want to accomplish and my desires to blaze writing trails. He speaks to me clearly as He did Martha:

Luke 10: 41-42

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things,  but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.

I long to choose the better, too, and to sit at His feet listening. In the quiet, I long for His voice and love.

I wrote this post for the 31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes 2019 challenge hosted by Kate Motaung. You can learn more about my series by visiting the series landing page here.

Please also note that I will link this post to blogs listed on my Linkup Parties page.