Finding Peace in God's Presence Amidst Busyness

 

Summary

In today's reflection, we explored the profound lesson found in the story of Mary and Martha from Luke 10:38-42. This narrative invites us to examine the busyness of our lives and the distractions that often pull us away from what truly matters. In our fast-paced world, we are accustomed to constant noise and activity, even within the church. We often feel pressured to fill every moment with sound and action, fearing the discomfort of silence. Yet, this story reminds us of the importance of pausing and focusing on the presence of God.

Martha, busy with preparations, was distracted by many things, while Mary chose to sit at Jesus' feet, listening to His words. Jesus gently rebuked Martha, highlighting that Mary had chosen the better part, which would not be taken away from her. This passage challenges us to prioritize our spiritual lives over the endless demands of daily tasks. It is not that being busy is inherently wrong, but when our busyness leads us to neglect our relationship with God, we miss out on the one thing that is truly necessary.

We are encouraged to slow down and create space for silence and reflection, allowing us to hear God's voice. This practice is not just beneficial but essential for our spiritual well-being. By spending time in God's presence, we align our priorities with His and find peace amidst the chaos. This story serves as a reminder that our relationship with God should be our primary focus, and everything else should flow from that foundation.

Key Takeaways:

- The Power of Silence: In a world filled with noise, silence can be uncomfortable, yet it is in these quiet moments that we can truly hear God's voice. Taking time to be still and listen is crucial for spiritual growth and clarity. [00:38]

- Choosing the Better Part: Like Mary, we must prioritize sitting at Jesus' feet, listening to His words. This choice reflects a heart that values God's presence above all else, leading to a deeper relationship with Him. [04:16]

- The Danger of Distraction: Martha's distraction by her tasks serves as a warning against allowing the busyness of life to pull us away from what is most important. We must guard against being drawn in many directions and focus on what truly matters. [05:30]

- God's To-Do List: While the world has many demands, God asks for one thing: to sit and listen to Him. This singular focus aligns our lives with His will and brings peace and purpose. [09:46]

- The Necessity of Daily Devotion: Spending time with God each day is not just beneficial but necessary. It centers us, improves our attitude, and equips us to face the challenges of life with grace and strength. [23:31]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:38] - The Uncomfortable Silence
- [01:18] - The Pressure of Noise
- [02:09] - Overcoming Overload
- [03:11] - The Story of Mary and Martha
- [04:29] - Martha's Distraction
- [05:18] - The Depth of the Story
- [06:09] - Mary's Focus on Jesus
- [07:04] - Jesus' Gentle Rebuke
- [08:34] - The One Thing Needed
- [10:24] - Slowing Down to Listen
- [12:05] - Hearing God's Words Directly
- [20:07] - Daily Quiet Time with God
- [21:45] - The Struggle to Prioritize
- [26:37] - Meditating on Jesus' Words

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Luke 10:38-42

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Observation Questions:

1. What were the different actions taken by Mary and Martha when Jesus visited their home? How did Jesus respond to each of them? [04:16]

2. According to the sermon, what does the word "distracted" mean in the context of Martha's actions, and why is it significant? [05:30]

3. How does the sermon describe the cultural expectation of noise and busyness, even within the church setting? [01:02]

4. What does Jesus identify as the "one thing" that is necessary, and how does this relate to Mary's choice? [09:46]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. Why might Jesus have considered Mary's choice to sit and listen as the "better part"? What does this suggest about priorities in spiritual life? [04:16]

2. How does the sermon illustrate the concept of being "distracted by many things"? What are some modern-day examples of distractions that might pull us away from focusing on God? [05:30]

3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that silence and stillness are essential for spiritual growth? How can this be challenging in today's fast-paced world? [00:38]

4. How does the sermon connect the idea of a "to-do list" with God's expectations for us? What does this imply about our daily priorities? [09:46]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your daily routine. Are there specific activities or habits that distract you from spending time with God? How can you adjust your schedule to prioritize this time? [05:30]

2. The sermon emphasizes the power of silence. How can you incorporate moments of silence and reflection into your daily life to better hear God's voice? [00:38]

3. Consider the "one thing" that Jesus says is necessary. How can you ensure that your relationship with God remains your primary focus amidst life's demands? [09:46]

4. Think about a recent situation where you felt overwhelmed by busyness. How might you have approached it differently by choosing the "better part" like Mary? [04:16]

5. Identify a specific distraction in your life that often pulls you away from spiritual focus. What practical steps can you take this week to minimize its impact? [05:30]

6. How can you create a daily habit of sitting at Jesus' feet, similar to Mary's example? What changes might you need to make to your current routine? [10:24]

7. Reflect on a time when you felt God's peace amidst chaos. What practices helped you achieve that peace, and how can you incorporate them more regularly? [23:31]

Devotional

Day 1: The Transformative Power of Silence
In a world that thrives on constant noise and activity, silence can be both rare and uncomfortable. Yet, it is in these quiet moments that we can truly hear God's voice. The story of Mary and Martha reminds us that taking time to be still and listen is crucial for spiritual growth and clarity. Silence allows us to step away from the distractions of life and focus on the presence of God, aligning our hearts with His will. By embracing silence, we create space for reflection and the opportunity to deepen our relationship with God. [00:38]

"Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" (Psalm 46:10, ESV)

Reflection: When can you carve out a moment of silence today to listen for God's voice, and how will you ensure this becomes a regular practice in your life?


Day 2: Prioritizing the Presence of God
The story of Mary and Martha illustrates the importance of choosing the better part, as Mary did by sitting at Jesus' feet and listening to His words. This choice reflects a heart that values God's presence above all else, leading to a deeper relationship with Him. In our busy lives, it is easy to become like Martha, distracted by tasks and responsibilities. However, prioritizing time with God allows us to align our priorities with His and find peace amidst the chaos. [04:16]

"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (Matthew 6:33, ESV)

Reflection: What is one practical step you can take today to prioritize time with God, even amidst your busy schedule?


Day 3: Guarding Against Distraction
Martha's distraction by her tasks serves as a warning against allowing the busyness of life to pull us away from what is most important. We live in a world full of demands and distractions that can easily lead us astray. It is essential to guard against being drawn in many directions and focus on what truly matters—our relationship with God. By doing so, we ensure that our lives are centered on His will and purpose. [05:30]

"Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." (Colossians 3:2, ESV)

Reflection: Identify one distraction in your life that often pulls you away from focusing on God. How can you minimize or eliminate this distraction today?


Day 4: Aligning with God's To-Do List
While the world has many demands, God asks for one thing: to sit and listen to Him. This singular focus aligns our lives with His will and brings peace and purpose. By spending time in God's presence, we are reminded of what truly matters and are equipped to face the challenges of life with grace and strength. This alignment with God's priorities allows us to live a life that is both fulfilling and meaningful. [09:46]

"Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established." (Proverbs 16:3, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to align your priorities with God's? How can you begin to make this shift today?


Day 5: The Necessity of Daily Devotion
Spending time with God each day is not just beneficial but necessary for our spiritual well-being. It centers us, improves our attitude, and equips us to face the challenges of life with grace and strength. Daily devotion is a practice that allows us to grow closer to God and align our lives with His will. By making this a priority, we ensure that our relationship with God remains the foundation of our lives. [23:31]

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." (Colossians 3:16, ESV)

Reflection: How can you incorporate a daily devotional practice into your routine, and what specific time of day will you dedicate to this practice?

Quotes


"it's kind of strange huh i just thought i wonder if i could stand up there and count to 50 and just be quiet i made it to like 40 and i got uncomfortable we're so used to noise aren't we and even in church we're used to it i mean you're used to me coming up and going oh man today i went to this place you know and you know and getting into the story right and it's like man that's our life it's like man we're always just going from one thing to another and we're we're expecting noise we're expecting just busyness and then i feel like sometimes even in church i feel this like don't let there be any dead space don't let there be any silence" [00:28:40]

"there's nothing wrong with living a busy life i think it's important for us to be busy it becomes a sin when we busy ourselves with things and we neglect the things that are most important in our lives we busy ourselves with so many things that we can't stop and be silent and just come into the presence of god there's a story here in luke chapter 10 starting in verse 38 and it's a it's a pretty simple story it's only five verses we're going to look at today i want to keep things a little different today just kind of a little more mellow just try to slow down" [02:42:00]

"but martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made she came to him and asked lord don't you care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself tell her to help me martha martha the lord answered you are worried and upset about many things but only one thing is needed mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her every sinful story right jesus walks into this home of these two sisters martha probably the older sister because it's her house and mary's living there and and jesus comes in the son of god they knew who he was" [03:35:76]

"the word distracted this is the only place in the new testament where this word is found and it literally means to draw from all around this idea it's you're drawing attention from all around rather than being focused on one thing it's the idea of being focused on so much it's the idea of getting attention so many things here martha is i mean think about this the son of god has walked into her house and she's looking at every all these different things she's distracted she's drawn from all different angles rather than focusing rather than mary who just sits there focused on the son of god going what do you have to say to me" [05:29:12]

"you feel like god has to do that to you sometimes how are you doing when you came in today where was your mind was it focused when you walked into church and thought i'm about to hear the very words of the son of god and were you just glued focused on that or were you was your mind everywhere else to where god had to just stop you and go graham graham and just kind of grab your attention i feel like god has to do that in my life sometimes i i mean honestly be totally honest with you right now preparing for this message and just even sitting there during worship my mind was just spinning" [07:28:84]

"jesus says i i've got one thing there's only one thing that's necessary there's only one thing that's required of you one thing that's demanded of you just sit and listen to me and so often we get busy with everyone else lists and god says i'm just asking for one thing i'm telling you one thing is necessary in your life today there's one thing that's necessary for you today so we wake up and we think well i got to do this i got no you don't have to you don't do any of those things according to god there's one thing that is necessary one thing that is needed and that's what mary was doing she was sitting at the feet of jesus" [09:43:19]

"you know it when um when jesus tells mary or he tells martha look martha what does he say to martha because you're worried and upset but about so many things but only one thing is needed and then he says that mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her there's nothing wrong with what martha was doing right i mean if jesus is going to be over your house it's you know you want to prepare something nice nothing wrong with that he just says that you know what mary's chosen what's better there's only one thing that's needed there's only one thing that's necessary and mary chose what was better" [20:32:96]

"you ever you ever struggle in getting to church you know and you kind of have that debate how should we go it's just kind of a mess today you know everything's so busy and then you force yourself to go and then you're just glad you went and just go oh gosh i'm glad i went i needed that i just needed to worship i knew that somebody you ever regret well let me not do that one you know i mean maybe sometimes you do but you know for the most part when you go to church i mean you get there and just go gosh i was just good i'm glad i didn't just sit at home i did i'm glad i didn't watch you know the rest of the game" [21:41:60]

"you ever regretted spending time alone with god in the morning i mean isn't it true those of you guys that have been believers for a while okay let's face it we have kind of ups and downs right in our times with the lord there's there's those those streaks where we can go just days and weeks and even months where we just we get up early we get some good quality time with god and things just go well and it just seems like we're able to get things done during the day our attitude's better during the day everything's better during the day but even in spite of that we stop somehow somehow we get quote unquote busy and distracted by other things" [22:47:20]

"i was talking to her and you know asking hey how's the women's retreat going you know and she says you know they had it was the greatest night on friday night it's like really i go what was the best thing about the retreat so far she was friday night we told the ladies just to go out and spend half an hour alone with the lord just go out look at the stars be quiet and just pray to god for half an hour she said the women just raved about it they just couldn't stop talking about it and it showed me a couple things um one is man just how powerful it is when we have time alone the lord and two is they don't get out much you know" [24:80:96]

"you know what i mean like like it's like life can be so busy life can be so crazy and with kids and it's just nice for them to take a break away from the kids i mean for us guys they're left alone with the kids we kind of have sympathy now and kind of understand wow it's hard to be quiet it's hard to have peace it's hard to have have quiet and yet that's that's the greatest thing that's what keeps us sane is this time alone with god i mean is there is there anything you could be doing right now that would be greater than just meditating on the words of jesus just sitting at jesus feet listening to him teach and then just responding to him in prayer" [25:32:24]

"try to think right now what what greater thing could you be doing right now sitting at the feet of jesus and hearing his words and talking to him we're going to do it again we're just going to have some more time in just a few more verses out of luke that just picture yourself sitting at the feet of jesus like mary and as you read a verse a picture coming out of the mouth of jesus and then in prayer just respond to him each time" [26:57:60]

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Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?