Whispers And Wildflowers By Sarah Beth MarrSample

Day Seven: Simplify

Scripture: Luke 10:38–42

I hope you have begun to recognize the delightful truth that deliberate time set aside for Jesus every day simplifies your life. Today, I want to specifically encourage you to live a life of simplicity. Why? Because doing so will allow you to know God and gain His perspective for your life. 

In Luke 10:38–42, we see a glimpse into the lives of two women, Mary and Martha. Poor Martha. I always feel like she gets a bad rap as the busy bee. And how many of us are the same? When we look at the number of things each woman was focused on—many things for Martha and one thing for Mary—and how Jesus reacts to each woman, we glimpse Jesus’ heart, and His desire for us to be singularly focused on Him. 

Mary chose one focus for her life: Jesus Himself. Martha, however, was focused on many different things, which led her to worry and become anxious. Jesus invites us to make Him our number one priority and our primary focus. This takes simplifying. It takes asking ourselves the hard questions: What’s causing me to be too busy? What’s crowding my devotion to God? What’s become more important than God?

These are tough questions, and our answers will look a little bit different. Oftentimes we don’t realize what things are draining us deep inside or severing our connection with God. Ask God, and He will show you what’s crowding your singular devotion to Him, or what’s distracting you from Him. 

Here’s what I want you to grab hold of today: a singular devotion to Christ is the sweetest and most freeing place to live. It’s not missing out, it’s getting in on the best—God’s best for you. See it as a choice to deepen your relationship with God. Know that while obedience—which is what this really is—is difficult, it leads to freedom. Romans 2:4 says, “God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance.” 

God isn’t trying to restrict you or make life boring. God isn’t showing you things that are crowding your heart to hurt you. He’s so kind and loving that He wants the very best for you. He doesn’t want anything to disrupt the connection He has with you or for you to miss out on this intimacy with Him. He loves you that much. 

What feels hard about simplifying? And what excites you about simplifying?