Luke 10:41-42

"Martha, Martha" The Lord answered,

"you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken from her."

Sometimes I feel like Martha. So caught up and worried about the things "in the now", you know? The things that are only temporary, and don't really matter that much in the long run. Sometimes I put a magnifying glass over the little problems and it makes them enlarged and supersized to me. I cause stress and anxiety for myself for no good reason! Actually, there is a reason. A reason NOT to cause myself stress and anxiety, haha! The bible says "Be anxious for nothing". its that simple...

The bible also says "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct the way you should go."

So basically, I should put off stress, worry, anxiety, and any feeling that I need to control things. I should put on trust. If I try to figure things out all by myself, I am going to fail miserably, and be miserable in the process. Not a fun path to frolic on, let me tell you. There is actually no frolicking allowed on that path, because you cannot frolic until you've got everything you are supposed to do completely laid out in black and white; every choice you need to make as lucid as spring water. There is no time for frolicking until that has been accomplished, since it's kind of wasting time that could be spent worrying, and planning, and running around in nervous circles wondering what to do with yourself, your money, and your life. Ahem.

Oh and by the way, you never actually accomplish what you are trying to accomplish. You'll never have things perfectly laid out. And if you do? Well, life will teach you a lesson, because plans change, and things that are out of your control will probably change your circumstances, and any expected circumstances.

"So what's left?!" You may ask. "Am I destined to worry my life away, and my worry will ultimately have not helped one smidgen in any grand scheme, or plan, that I, or God, had for me???" Well, if that's what you choose! Many people choose this, and at one time or another, everyone does. It must seem to be the easier path.

Actually, it's the path that doesn't require something specific of you. Something that is valuable to you, and makes you vulnerable. Something the other path requires of you.

Trust.

We choose to worry because we fail to trust. That's the bottom line.

Ouch! I mean, we are only helping, right? Not hindering?

Well, if what God wants is our trust, then we are failing to see the reason He puts us in situations where there is no way for us to do it ourselves.

Maybe, just maybe, it's so that we can learn to trust Him. To make the situation better, let me assure you of something you already should be assured of:

God wants to prosper us in our lives, and He knows what is best for us. He knows our needs and wants and has a proper timing for everything. So if we stop fussing and throwing temper tantrums and just go with His will, and TRUST Him, whatever happens is in His hands. If it was what we planned or what we wanted, AWESOME. If it's not, then obviously that doesn't mean He has ceased to be in control. It just means that "His ways are higher than our ways; His thoughts higher than our thoughts". And guess what? He is still working everything out for his ultimately amazing plans for us! He's God, and we're not.

Okay. Deep breath. :)

Back to the small story of Martha and Mary.

Every day, we should consciously think about how we can focus on what's necessary.

No, not the necessary you're probably thinking of.

Jesus said, "only one thing is needed".

I think He was referring to what Mary was doing. She was focusing on what was needed. The essence of Jesus.

We should just close our eyes for a few minutes and breathe in His presence, inhale His very existence each day.

Guess what? This is a burden off of our shoulders!

God's got it!

Hes got everything under control!

Speak it to yourself when you feel stress or worry climbing up inside of you. Speak, and say something like this:

"No. I refuse to stress. I refuse to feel like I need to handle this. God's handling it for me. I'm trusting Him, because I know He loves me, and has control of this."

And maybe a second something like this:

"Jesus....I accept the peace you offer me as your child; thank you for taking care of me. You always have my back, and I oftentimes ignore and forget that truth. I love you. Help me to rest in your arms. Speak to my heart, Lord, and help me see all the many ways you declare your love to me, even daily. If I've been acting like Martha, help me to be Mary."

It's as simple as that.