Choosing What's Best

The Lord answered, “Martha, Martha! You are worried and upset about so many things, but only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen what is best, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42 (CEV)

Have you seen the movie “I Don’t Know How She Does It”? There’s a scene where Sarah Jessica Parker is lying awake in bed going over her crazy-long to-do list. I feel like every one of us can relate to that scene. Life feels so busy, hectic, and chaotic. As a society, we are stressed, over-worked, and exhausted. We have many worries and concerns but Jesus tells us that "there is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:41-41 NLT).

Sometimes I’m so busy with my to-do list that I miss out on what matters most. Sometimes I feel like I’m so wrapped up in a whirlwind of activity that I’m not even sure if I’m doing anything that I truly want to be doing. At times like these when life gets away from me, I need to stop, breathe and reassess.

1 | What matters most?

We know that God should come first but if I’m honest you might not always be able to tell that from the way I live my life. Sometimes I’m so busy that taking the time to read my Bible and spend quality time in prayer seems like a luxury that I don’t have because my to-do list is much too long. So, first things first. I need to reset and acknowledge that God gives me my daily portion. I get my strength, energy, peace, and comfort through Him and Him alone. If I don’t take time daily to sit with God, I’m setting myself up for failure.

I confess that I often choose productivity over what I know is better. I will get so focused on my to-do list that I will forget to eat, drink water or go to the bathroom. What's worse is I will put playing with my daughter on hold indefinitely until I finish what I'm working on. What that translates to is that I end up ignoring the signs that she's wanting to spend time with me. For what? All in the name of completing the tasks on my to-do list. But, nothing is more important to me than being connected with God and with my family. That is not to say that I should neglect my other responsibilities, merely, that I need to learn to put other things on hold until I have spent time on what truly matters.

Next, I need to reassess what truly matters to me. What are my other priorities? What is most important to me? I don’t know about you but I love lists and I love to write. This is a great place to make a list of what we feel is most important and why.

2 | Where is your treasure?

Luke 12:34 says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Where you spend your time is telling about what you place value in. Take a moment to reflect on the areas where you spend the most time? Does it align with what's most important to you?

How much time do you spend at work? Work does not have to be a paying job. If you are a stay-at-home mom, for instance, your work could be managing the household. What activities outside of work take the most time? Is there anything in your life you are prioritizing that does not line up with what matters most to God? Do you engage in any time killers such as binge-watching TV, scrolling through social media, playing video games, etc.? Let's pray and ask God to reveal any areas of our lives that are consuming more time than they should.

3 | Choosing What’s Best

Paul said, “For I do not understand my actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate” (Romans 7:15).

At this point, we have a clear picture of where we are currently investing our time and where we should be investing our time. But, it's not that simple. Choosing what is better requires more than knowing, more than wanting; it requires action and making intentional choices. We must do what we want even though our flesh is weak and wants us to choose differently.

Choosing what is better is not going to be a one-time choice. It’s a choice we have to make time and again. We must regularly pause and take inventory of our lives. We won’t always choose what’s better. There will inevitably come a time when life is busier than we’d like and we may choose productivity over what’s better. But, the important thing is to stop choosing that every day. Each new moment is a new opportunity to choose what’s better.

It’s not easy to do what is right and good. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Choosing what is better will take tremendous willpower at times. I can guarantee it won't be easy because the last thing Satan wants is for you to be in the habit of choosing what is better and living a life that brings forth joy and fruit and glorifies God.

Write what changes you need to make in your life.

Here are some ideas to get us started but ask God to guide you and show you what changes He wants you to make.

• wake up 15 minutes before anyone else to pray and read the Bible.

• Fast from TV, social media, or any other “time-killer”

• volunteer

• help a stranger

• connect with someone lonely

Closing Prayer

Lord, thank you for always being there for me. Thank you for being patient with me when I'm not choosing what is best. Forgive me for not making you more of a priority in my life. I ask that you would help me to prioritize my life the way you want me to and reveal to me anything that I am worried about or busy with that is taking my focus from you. I know that I can trust you with anything that consumes my thoughts, time, or energy. Help me to trust in You at the times that I'm feeling overwhelmed. In Jesus' name, Amen.