Slowing to Be With God Amidst an Anxious, Fast-Paced LifeSample

Devotion Series written by Gracie R. Porter

Think about a time you were running late and scurried out of the house without your keys, or a time when you were so overwhelmed by what was being asked of you, you just shut down. Told yourself you couldn’t do it, so you didn’t. Or you did, and it drained you. When you asked yourself, “What am I leaving behind or avoiding?”

Quite often in our fast-paced lives, the answer is, unfortunately, Jesus!

Martha was so anxious about doing things for God that she missed being with God. She ran around like a madwoman while Mary slowed to sit at the feet of Jesus.

We cater to our anxieties first instead of running to the Lord with our troubles.

Our minds seek what anxieties say rather than what God says. Which one has your best interest at heart? One stems from fear, which is a liar. The other is the Truth. My college professor, Dr. Hallman, once said, "The Truth is a person, and the Truth loves you!"

Our anxieties say there is too much to do, we have sinned too much, and we are too far gone for God to save us. Once we begin our faith journey, we can be anxious about doing enough. All of which I have struggled with personally.

Anxiety is real and can be very dark. When we run to our anxieties first and accept them as truth, we make them an idol and stay in the shadow. This creates distance between us and our loving Father and Creator.

The good news is that just as the sun offers an end to the gloom of night, God sent Jesus to be the Light of the World and conquer our darkness.

We cannot let light in without first pulling back the shades. As we go through this devotional exploring common burdens of the heart and mind, I invite you to use this as an opportunity to pause, breathe, and, in vulnerability, reflect with Jesus about the anxieties you face.

What can you give up as Martha to be more like Mary?

Jesus Christ, Light of the World, in you we find humility and truth about the worries in our hearts. Calm the storms in our minds. As we invite you to loosen our hold on the things we try to control, help us slowly trust Truth.