When the Bar is Raised Too High

Luke 10

At the Home of Martha and Mary

38As 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!"

41"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, 42but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

Oh I hope you did not skip over these verses. I know for a fact that as women we put way too much pressure on ourselves. We have so many standards for ourselves that maybe God didn't intend. Then, in our efforts to reach the bar that keeps getting raised we become frustrated, dismayed, exhausted, and joyless. (Um pause...Donald Trump just needs to let the "do" go. He is on Gretta and the comb over is just way too obvious...but God loves him anyway.)

So, I was in the car tonight just feeling like a failure. I want to know Christ more, I want to mother my child and bring her up in the way she should go. I want to have a clean house, be a good wife to my man, stay organized, serve more, and on and on and on. I have this constant nagging sense of inadequacy and maybe you can't relate at all or maybe you can. As I was thinking tonight about being a Christian woman in general we get this idea that we have to look and be Mrs. Proverbs 31 or we are just failures and we give up because we can't seem to cope.

Were women back then educated? Did they have cars and places to go? Could they just let their child run on their land without worrying about whether their child would be hit by a car or not? Did they have the media blaring in their face telling them how discontent they should be with life, their image...the implosion of MORE MORE MORE! I am not saying there weren't hard times. But don't you think families were closer? They talked more, ate together, shared closer community, they weren't as distracted (this is all just me thinking). Women still felt like we do...and there were a lot of different things then like arranged marriages and etc which I for the likes would not want. Women still felt unloved and a desire to be wanted and respected and accomplished. With more people and as the times are nearer to the Day of His Coming wickedness is increasing. It is just harder to live here on earth without all of the pressure to be and do. We constantly compare ourselves to others and focus on what others are doing, that we aren't. What they have, that we don't. What kind of relationship to their man that they have and how our friends husbands are prince charming's and ours aren't (I am not talking about Rod I am just saying how much we compare and lack contentment...I am so guilty). When in fact we have no clue what goes on in someones house or in their soul.

I think Jesus would take some of us and cup His hands around our face and tell us, "Child I love you. I created you. You are mighty fine...fearfully and wonderfully made. You have been distracted by much but only one thing is required...sit at my feet. LISTEN TO ME, drown out the other voices that haunt you. Lose yourself in me. Pour out your heart to me. Let me hold you. Let me fix you. Be still. STOP. Open your eyes and apply your heart to my word. Stop letting others dictate your worth. No one defines you but me...not your past, not your current place, not the future. I define you, let me use your whole story for my glory...I am the Redeemer. I say that you are washed in the blood of the lamb. I say you are clean. I am enthralled with your beauty. When no one has time for you or attention to show you, I do. I will care for you and provide for you. Set your affections on me...love me with all of your heart and there you will find wholeness and security. No matter who separates themselves from you, I will never leave you. NEVER. I love you. Stop beating yourself down and just be."

Hear me, I am not saying we don't need to do the daily things I just feel like we have a lot more pressure on us than the Proverbs 31 chick! And I love Proverbs 31...yes Lord do those things in us as we seek You but Your yoke is easy and burden is light and we are weighted down by the yoke of our own standards and the yoke of the oppressor. GOD of Heaven and Earth, God who takes up residence by the Holy Spirit, LORD...please help us to believe you and not always see ourselves as failures. Yes we are desperate for You.

I am just sick of beating myself up over everything and becoming frustrated to the point of wanting to give up. That is not what Christ has called us to. He has called us to a life that bears fruit as we abide in Him.