Some of the best advice I’ve ever received came to me many years ago as a young mom. I was actively involved in leading others through Bible study. I diligently filled in every line of my homework but I was lacking one thing – true intimacy with the Lord. This one thing does not come by lots of religious activity but in the quiet stillness of time spent watching, waiting, worshipping, and listening at His feet. I was walking the walk without zeal or joy in my relationship with the Lord. It had become routine and I was too busy to see any hope of change.
A mom several years ahead of me shared one day in Bible study and I felt led to talk further with her afterwards. I confessed to Anne that I was so busy with the kids that I wasn’t pursuing personal time in God’s Word – different from being a good Bible study gal who filled in all the blanks. Time to read, reflect and pray in a way that was personal to me. As I was confessing I expected Anne to give me a pat answer like, “Your kids are young. The Lord understands your season. You are doing the best you can. You will have time to go deeper and more personal with the Lord as your kids get older. He knows your heart.” But Anne did not respond to me that way and I am forever grateful. Anne spoke the truth in love to me that day. Her response was something more like this: “Carrie, if you are not taking the time to go deeper in your walk with the Lord in this season, you won’t in the next season either. Life will always be busy. You must make the time for this now – there is nothing more important. As you carve out time to be in God’s Word you will become a more effective mom, wife and woman.”
I went away from that conversation with a burning desire to move forward in my relationship with the Lord. I asked the Lord to stir up a hunger for His Word within me. I chose to make some changes in my schedule. I made a plan. I said no to some of the fluff in my life. If I had time for magazines and television shows (yes this was before the days of smart phones, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram!) then I had time for God’s Word.
“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Matthew 6:33
I am the woman I am today because of Jesus. I am the woman I am today because I chose to go deeper. I am the woman I am today because the Word of God has transformed my life. Sharpened my life. Led my life. Brought wisdom into my life. Supplied healing and comfort to my brokenness. The Word of God does not leave us the same but marks us in a way that nothing or nobody else can.
“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12
The world is getting noisier by the minute. Beth Moore calls it the “captivity of activity”. We must be aware of what is trying to take us captive. Is it social media? Is it reading everything but the Bible? Is it shopping? Is it decorating? Is it lunches out or coffee with girlfriends? Is it working out at the gym? Is it keeping an orderly home? Is it working hard around the clock? Is it trying to keep our lives looking like something out of Pinterest? While most of these things are wonderful and full of life – if they keep you captive from the ONE THING that will last forever, then something needs to change. Take it from a woman who knows firsthand the captivity of activity. It is something I have to keep in perspective daily. It’s choosing between good and best.
“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 only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her.’”
Luke 10:38-41
What you make time for today will affect tomorrow. Will you consider making a change? Shifting your schedule? Removing one thing to make room for the ONE THING? You won’t look back ten years from now or even ten days from now and regret the shift. Ten years after rearranging my priorities, I was at a woman’s retreat and somebody I barely knew told me I reminded her of Anne. I rarely spent time with Anne but we both spent time daily in God’s Word and that is what marked each of us the most. We had been marinating in the same flavor – the Word of God and time in His presence. What a compliment that was to me and how grateful I was to Anne for being bold enough to speak the truth.
Let’s speak the truth in love – first to ourselves and then to others the Lord puts across our path. Truth plus obedience brings maturity.
“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ.”
Ephesians 4:15
Let’s be open to hear Godly wisdom and truth from others.
“Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.”
Proverbs 27:6
