Deeper Waters: A 5-Day Devotional by Jeremy CampSample

Day 2: Relationship > Impact

“‘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.’” Luke 10:41-42 (NIV)

My family is in a busy season of life right now. The world feels like it’s moving so fast I often feel out of control. So, to compensate, I try to control everything. I throw myself full speed ahead into my work and my family and all the things that make me feel like I’m keeping a healthy pace. The problem is what I view as a “healthy pace” is often not very healthy at all.

There’s a story in the Bible about two sisters — Mary and Martha. Jesus comes over to their house, and Martha is so busy making preparations for Jesus that she misses Jesus completely. Her sister, Mary, on the other hand, sits at His feet. He tells the two women that Mary “has chosen what is better.”

I think about this story a lot. I wonder how many times I’ve completely missed Jesus showing up in my life because I was so busy doing things for Him. Don’t get me wrong, I think God has a specific purpose for each of us, but I don’t think He wants us to walk out our divine calling at the expense of our relationship with Him.

God always values intimacy over productivity. Relationship is always His first priority.

A lot of times when I experience struggles in life, I assume God’s going to leverage my pain so I can help others who are walking through a similar season. Otherwise, why would He allow it? He does choose to redeem pain this way, where our healing has a ripple effect on others. But I think before He ever opens a wider door for impact, He often wants to redeem our pain by bringing us into a new depth of relationship with Him.

If my worst moment does nothing more than bring me closer to Jesus, then that’s all the redemption I need. Every painful event in my life doesn’t have to equal profound Kingdom impact for it to matter. If it draws me closer to God, then it has purpose.

I want to be more like Mary, content to simply rest at the feet of Jesus.