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March 02, 2022

The Daily Battle between Good and Better

March 02, 2022 by COLETTE CORREA BEAUTY Balancing ministry, family, & life Being a woman in ministry Abide Quiet time with the Lord
The Daily Battle between Good and Better
“As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 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 the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:38-42

It is a daily battle between good and better. The moment I open my eyes I have to control the very thought that will direct my hand to reach out for my phone “to see what time it is”. Is it really the time that I want to see, or is it how many likes I got on my recent post, or how many emails I received overnight? Oh, wait a minute, I have 5 unread text messages on WhatsApp. I wonder if “it’s really important”. This could be a very important message. I should read it now!  
 
On and on it goes, it has now been 45 minutes and the time has flown so quickly. What happened between the time that I was going to check on the time and this very moment I’m in—now browsing through Instagram? The sacredness of that first second I wanted to spend with the One I love has vaporized and now guilt and shame fill my heart. How did I betray Him by giving first place to these mundane things—emails, text messages, numbers of likes on my latest post? All these things might be good things to check on, but they have their time and place. Why did I not choose what is better the moment I woke up—the moment my heart was yearning to pause and listen to silence in search for His voice in the quietness of the morning? 
 
Sometimes like Mary, I win that battle at being still, at His feet, enthralled with the beauty of His holiness, waiting to hear the Holy Spirit speak. Other times, I am lured by distractions that seek to satisfy my curiosity wondering if I’m liked, loved, accepted by those messages, emails, posts, social groups that I joined—it is like raging waves that come and go, they are never steady. The only place where all is still and beautiful is at the feet of my Lord—when I am there, I do not wonder, I KNOW I am valuable, significant, accepted, loved. 
 
The battle between good and better rages every day, which will you choose today? 

Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father, more than anything my heart yearns to be in that quiet place where I listen to Your quiet and reassuring voice, but more often than not I am distracted. Father, my heart is often torn between “good” and “better”, and I need your help in choosing my priorities wisely. I pray You’ll calm my heart and mind, and give me wisdom to discern between the two.
Resources
Book: Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World: Finding Intimacy with God in the Busyness of Life by Joanna Weaver A great resource to finding intimacy with God in the busyness of life.
Question for Reflection

What are some parameters you have set in place to help you avoid distractions when it comes to spending time with God?

Comments
Colette Correa
March 02, 2022

Distractions are not easy to fight and, in my case, it is imperative I have a plan. Here are 3 simple parameters that do work for me, if/when I implement them.
1. As soon as I wake up, I purposefully direct my thoughts to God.
2. I pray and thank God for being alive another day and ask Him to help me spend that first hour with Him and help me resist any temptations to think about anything else that would pull my thoughts away from His Word.
3. I do not answer any calls, emails or text messages before I spend time with God (when praying and reading my Bible).