Only You Can Fulfill This Mission
Luke 10:38-42
You, armed with your unique gifts and talents, are the only human being in the world capable of completing the mission God has placed in front of you today.
Why it matters: When you feel powerless or broken, remember that God entrusted you with this day. Throughout all of history, he believed no one was better equipped to handle it than you!
Go Deeper
Martha was burdened with much: How often do we feel overwhelmed by the world and its many responsibilities? Like there is this immovable and undescribable weight on our shoulders that continues to get heavier every day? Martha, too, felt this weight. Even with Jesus sitting in her living room, Martha felt so overwhelmed by her responsibilities that she missed the opportunity to simply be present. What is weighing us down today? Are we missing a chance to simply be with Jesus?
Lord, do you not care? From a place of profound abandonment and despair, Martha cries out to Jesus, “Lord, do you even care?” How closely can we relate to this feeling? Does the Lord see our affliction? Does he recognize how hard we labor for him, fight for him, and even suffer for him? The answer is an astounding YES!
Tell her to help me: If we fail to turn to Jesus in our times of doubt, we will inevitably blame our external environment. Whether it be school, work, friends, family, politics, social media, past sufferings, or present struggles, there will always be something to blame. Martha commands Jesus to tell Mary to help her with the preparations. How often do we command God to validate our external excuses rather than empower our internal strengths?
You only need one thing: Jesus responds to Martha by saying, “There is only one thing you need.” Too often, we let the people and problems that weigh down our souls keep us from the very one who is patiently waiting to relieve our burdens. When the world diminishes our power and makes us feel like there is nowhere to turn, let us turn to Jesus. He is the one thing that we need.
Balance: Today, we can operate as neither Mary nor Martha. Our world commands that we work with intensity, and so does God. However, God requires that we rest with intentionality. To be consumed by one’s work is just as much of a problem as avoiding it. We are to be in the world but not of it.
Do not let your work or responsibilities consume you like Martha. Recognize that the only value your work has is that God has called you to do it. If your job feels like a burden, then God is calling you to sit at his feet and be in his presence. Maybe he will reveal a new mission to you.
If you struggle to get excited about your work, recognize it as a gift that God has given you. No matter the job or its position in the world’s hierarchy, God chose you for it so that you can spread his love through it. No one else in the world was fit for the job; no one else could do it—only you!
Take Action
Work: When you go to work or school or whatever it may be, treat it as your holy mission from God. No matter how mundane or ordinary it may feel, you are doing God’s work and fulfilling his mission.
Pray: Spend some time praying about any external circumstances you may be blaming for your current struggles. Lift them up to God and ask him for the strength to shift your mindset. You are God’s chosen one, and when you pray, you have all the strength you need regardless of your environment.
Are you a Martha or Mary? Do you usually get overly anxious about your work, or are you lazy and avoidant of your duties? Whatever it is, pray that God will grant you a healthy balance between intense work and intentional rest.
