Surrendering In Battler

How many of us seem to be doing really well, just going along through the day, and then slowly (or maybe suddenly) it begins to build…the chaos? We can feel our blood pressure rising, hearts begin to pound, voices start to escalate, and then…KABOOM! She blows! Guilty.

In the book of Luke, two women are hosting Jesus in their home. Often, people tend to be the Martha in the story and lose sight of the Mary that many truly long to be. We find ourselves pushing further away from, or even lashing out at, what matters most. The chaos takes away our calmness and ultimately steals our joy.

It is important to note that Martha is NOT doing a bad thing. In our daily lives, someone has to prepare for the event and prepare dinner, right? Someone has to do the laundry, run the errands, care for the kids and pets, and do the upkeep for daily life to occur. Those are NOT bad things. They are actually a result of the blessings the Lord has given. Let me say that again. They are a blessing from the Lord - not a battle from the world.

When we find ourselves in the battle between holding on to the calmness or losing it in the chaos, remember the battle belongs to the Lord. He has already fought that fight for you, and He has already won! Granted, when a person feels constant pressure, sometimes it is necessary to examine all the tasks one is trying to accomplish. Then, one may need to eliminate obligations, ask for help, or step back and analyze what commitments are most important. Ultimately, we want to find ourselves surrendering in the battle - not surrendering to the world - but surrendering to the One who has already fought the battle for us!

Reflection

• In what areas are you experiencing chaos in your daily life? Surrender these to God.
• Who do you most identify with in the story of Mary and Martha? Ask the Lord to reveal to you the blessings of life instead of being overwhelmed with the obligations that life demands.
• What is an example of a recent situation where you “lost it”? Ask the Lord to forgive you. Ask Him to help you be better equipped to surrender the battle to Him the next time.