Dericka Canada Cunningham, GBW Founder
March 20, 2023
This Week's Anchor
”And Jesus answered and said to her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part,
which will not be taken away from her.’”
Luke 10:41 (NKJV)
One of the most common issues that people seek therapy for is anxiety. Whether it’s the day-to-day stress of simply living life, financial concerns, family drama, approaching deadlines, relationship struggles, the pressures of parenting, the weight of career or educational expectations, health issues, and/or navigating grief and trauma alone, most, if not all of us have waded through the turbulent waters of anxiety at some point in life. I often remind folks that anxiety isn’t all bad. In fact, many of us can agree that our anxiety has served us in some capacity in the past. Anxiety, when productive, can motivate us to prepare in ways that result in desirable outcomes across a range of tasks, goals, and achievements. However, like Martha in Luke 10, sometimes our anxiety, even if for a good cause, can get in the way of us showing up in meaningful moments.
When I read the story of Jesus’ visit to these two sisters in Luke 10, I personally relate to Martha while also deeply admiring Mary. This visit comes after an eventful journey of Jesus and the disciples throughout the land. Upon arriving in a village, they are welcomed into Martha’s home, where Mary, Martha’s sister, is also present. Mary and Martha approach this visit with two different perspectives on engaging and serving Jesus. Mary takes a more mindful approach of being present with Jesus—sitting with Him and hanging onto His every word. On the other hand, Martha takes a more active approach by focusing her attention on tending to the space and Jesus’ practical needs. As Martha realizes the imbalance of the workload, she understandably gets frustrated and brings her concerns to Jesus, boldly requesting that He encourage Mary to be more helpful. This is where our anchor scripture begins, and we see Jesus respond to Martha in a surprising way. He doesn’t agree with Martha but instead challenges her perspective of Mary’s presence. He discerns Martha’s worry and anxiety and reminds her that His presence is more meaningful than the long list of things she is concerned about (Luke 10:41).
Whew…I don’t know about you, but I read this scripture and immediately feel God’s compassionate conviction. Truth be told, I’ve been Martha more days than not, and I see her graciously because I understand a thing or two about anxiety, both professionally and personally. When I think about the origins of my own anxiousness, I realize the generations of women in my family with “Type A” personalities fueled by anxious undercurrents. Women who keep busy, distract from tough feelings with long to-do lists and are always chasing a moving target of expectations and goals. I don’t know Martha personally, but I sure feel like I understand her, and I imagine she, too, might have been this type of woman. When I think about Martha’s experience along with my own moments of getting lost in the doing, one particular word comes to mind as I consider how to describe this state of hyperactivity…preoccupied. To be preoccupied means to absorb or engross to the exclusion of other things. You see, the issue wasn’t that Martha wanted to serve Jesus and offer Him the best that she could give. The issue lay in Martha being, as Black folks put it, “worried about the wrong things”. She loses sight of the moment by focusing on working and completing her tasks at the exclusion of being present with Jesus. Have you been there before? I sure have. This is the cornerstone of anxiety. It limits our view and restricts our focus. We often reference tunnel vision in a positive way, reflecting an ability to hone skills and achieve goals, but what happens when our vision is out of focus? It’s easy to get so caught up in our worries, anxieties, and urgent demands that, like Martha, we miss the moment and lose sight of what really matters. But as reflected by Mary, sometimes doing less is actually doing more, especially when the Holy Trinity is involved.
Nonetheless, as we often quote from the book of Ecclesiastes, there is truly a time and season for everything. Although we read this scripture and see Martha’s hustling spirit being challenged and Mary’s mindful presence being praised, we can also recognize there are moments when God calls us to make Martha moves. This story reminds us of the importance of checking in with ourselves, reading the (Spiritual) room, and seeking the Holy Trinity to know how we should show up in any given circumstance. The next time we find ourselves lost in our own worries, concerns, or lists, or confused regarding how active or present we should be in a moment we feel called to, we can pause, slow down, and reflect on these questions:
Is what I’m currently focused on urgent, important, and/or necessary? Does it need to be my focus now? Can it wait?
Am I being intentionally present at this moment?
Is there anything I need to pay more attention to?
Have I talked with God regarding what kind of presence I should have in this moment?
Is there anything God is telling or showing me at this moment?
Is there anything He might want to say if I be still, notice, and listen?
What thoughts/feelings/emotions are arising in this moment, and why? What do they represent?
What about this moment is meaningful for me? What is resonating? And what do I want to take with me?
As we enter another week, it is my prayer that we stand firm at the intersection of acknowledging the challenging feelings of anxiety while also being empowered to move in God’s purpose despite and alongside them. May, through our anxieties, we be revealed but not overwhelmed. May we have the courage to pause and be curious with ourselves. And may we not miss moments that matter, but instead make the moments that are meaningful.
Reflection
What is resonating for you about this scripture and/or this devotion?
What do you need from the Holy Trinity to help you refocus your attention and be present in important moments?
What intention(s) do you want to set to connect and/or reconnect with being grounded this week?
Related Scriptures to Ground You Through this Week
Proverbs 3:5-6
Jeremiah 33:3
Matthew 6:25-34
John 14:27
Philippians 4:6-7
Colossians 3:12-17
My Through-the-Week Reflection Guide
A Song of Inspiration
Quote of Love & Liberation
"For me, becoming isn't about arriving somewhere or achieving a certain aim. I see it instead as forward motion, a means of evolving, a way to reach continuously toward a better self.
The journey doesn't end."
Michelle Obama
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