My Martha Syndrome

This past week has been quite stressful for me. In addition to leading the campus ministry, my job (which is usually pretty carefree) was quite tiresome, and there were some family issues that let’s just say I didn’t handle quite well because I just ignored them.

Anyhow, if you know me, then you know I sometimes suffer from Martha-syndrome. I think it is hereditary. The name of the syndrome, as you may or may not know, is coined from this amazing story in Luke 10:38-42.

Luke 10: 38-42
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. 40But 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 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."

Jesus tells Martha something so profound in vs 41. He says “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.” I think the one thing that Martha needed, Jesus himself, was standing right in front of her, but she let the worries of this world keep her from focusing on him.

I, like Martha, always have to be doing something. I don't think that’s the problem at all. I think we should keep ourselves busy as we strive to make each day count for Christ, because as the saying goes, an idle man is the devil's workshop. The problem, however, is that what has suffered as a result of having that disposition is my relationship with God. Rushed prayers, unfinished books, and unfinished Bible studies begin to surface and in the end I'm left with lackluster quiet times and even more stress. Impatience and just flat ungodliness comes out in my relationship with people and I miss what’s most important- Christ! The question I had to ask myself was- Am I really going after what is needed? Or am I concentrating so much on things that can be taken away like Martha did?

This weekend, a sister shared something with me that really renewed my mind and is the tool I will use to fight my Martha syndrome. It's a basic thing, but something that I take for granted so often- Prayer. Deep, meaningful, soul-searching, honest-to-goodness prayer.

The example she gave was Jesus. Jesus lived a very demanding life. His average day could consist of something like Luke 8: 22-56, where in one day he calms a storm, heals a demon possessed man, raises a girl from the dead and heals a woman who has been bleeding for 12 years. That sounds pretty demanding to me. Yet, he handled that day and many other days peacefully and with such poise. The only time we ever see Jesus in anguish, sweating drops of blood, and overwhelmed is before he went to the cross and that was in his PRAYER.

With my Martha syndrome, I've been stressing over life and not focusing enough on my prayer. Jesus fought in his prayers! He fought in his spirituality- we see it in his early morning getaways to pray, in fasting for 40 days and being tempted. He fought using prayer and the word of God and this enabled him to live a life of peace in the midst of the busy lifestyle that he lived. Sometimes I fight the wrong battle. What I've learned is that in order for me to live a life of peace like Jesus did, I have to fight in my prayers. As I learn to fight Satan in my prayers, I think I'll be cured of my Martha syndrome. And if the Son sets me free, well, I'm free indeed :)( John 8:36).

Additional Scriptures worth noting:

Isaiah 28: 11-13
Very well then with foreign lips and strange tongues God will speak to this people, to whom he said, “This is the resting place, let the weary rest”; and, “This is the place of repose”- but they would not listen. So then, the word of the Lord to them will become: Do and Do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a little there- so that they will go and fall backward, be injured and snared and captured.

- Let's not fall into the trap of “do and do” and miss experiencing that intimacy with our relationship with God

Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.
- God promises peace to those who trust him, so why worry and add more stress?

Isaiah 32:17
The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever.
-As we go after seeking God first, the peace will inevitably come.

Can you tell I like Isaiah? Anyways, last but not least

Philippians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

May the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

-Aisha