“Jesus entered a
village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister
named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha,
burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that
my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” The
Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about
many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part
and it will not be taken from her.”
Luke 10:38-42
Have you ever felt like Martha? We all have. But, it’s
important to take a close look at what she is really worried about. Martha is
telling Jesus that she is not being treated fairly. She wants others to start
acting differently so that she will feel better. Sound familiar?
Poor Martha wants everyone around
her to change, but she is not willing to change at all.
That can be a familiar feeling. When
things aren’t going our way, sometimes our first reaction is to think that we
are being ignored or taken advantage of. “Why
is everyone doing this to me?”
This is when you can turn to the
Holy Spirit for wisdom and freedom. If you do you will find an opportunity for
real peace in any tense situation. But, you must take responsibility for
changing yourself before trying to change anyone else, especially if you are
asking for divine grace to help you. You see, while the Lord will help you
deal with you, He alone will deal with everyone else.
And when you allow the presence of
Jesus to have absolute first place in your heart, I guarantee amazing things
will happen in your life! That is because God is so creative He can lead you to
life-changing thoughts, decisions, and actions. This will do far more than just
resolve a particular situation; it will bring healing, freedom, and even
deliverance.
Be assured that your love and
compassion for others will always replace your fuming over be slighted by them.
Yes, if you call upon Him, God’s own divine wisdom will lead you to make
changes in you and how you deal with everyone else in your life. He may
even reveal how you played a key role in creating whatever problems you face .
. . along with a way out of the mess!
But, no matter what the Spirit
reveals to you, you will find your faith and trust in Jesus deepening. And as
you experience His power to change your heart, His grace will flow out of you,
helping everyone around you to experience that very same healing, freedom, and lasting
joy.
Today’s Prayer
“Jesus, I need
you! I bring every troubled relationship and situation to you. I know if I
don’t place these things in your hands,
they will spiral out of control until I give them to you. Please pour your
peace and patience upon each person involved. Let your mercy triumph over every
division. Holy Spirit, allow your
grace to fill me right now. I want to turn from my anger. Show me how I can
respond differently here. Amen.”
