“Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what He taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing.” (Luke 10:39–40 NLT)
The Greek word periespato, translated “distracted,” only appears once in the Bible, and it’s in this verse. Martha was pulled in every direction, hustling to take care of good things. The problem was that Martha focused on the urgent in front of her but missed the most important: Jesus Himself was right there with her.
Point 1: Martha was so focused on tending to others that she overlooked Jesus’ presence near her.
Picture Martha with pots on every burner. She’s moving from room to room with sheets in her arms, setting up guest spaces. I wonder if Martha thought the same thing I often do: “I’ll stop in when I can. But first, I need to do this…” But the to-do list kept growing. We keep meaning to spend time with God, but there’s always one more thing to do.
Then Martha notices Mary sitting at Jesus’ feet.
Frustrated, Martha says to Jesus:
“Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” (Luke 10:40 NLT)
Maybe you’ve felt like Martha. You’re working harder than everyone else. It doesn’t seem fair, and resentment starts to rise.
Point 2: When we’re doing too much, we may accuse others of doing too little.
Here’s the part we often overlook: At any point, Martha could have set aside her tasks and joined Mary at Jesus’ feet. Serving is important, but sitting with Jesus is essential.
I love Jesus’ response to Martha:
“My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41–42 NLT)
Notice how Jesus didn’t scold or shame her. God isn’t angry with you when you miss time with Him. But He knows how much you miss out on peace, clarity, and grace when you stay too busy to be with Him.
When we think about sitting at Jesus’ feet, anxiety often screams, “You don’t have time!” Our chest pounds with urgency when we plan to pray or open the Bible. Yet Jesus reminds us that what we need most is not another check mark on the to-do list but His presence.
Point 3: Distractions will keep you from a deeper connection with Jesus.
I also love that Jesus acknowledged Martha’s heart to serve, even as He gently reset her priorities. We all need that reset from time to time.
What distracts you from spending time with God? Often it’s our phones, busyness, overthinking, worrying, or comparing ourselves to others. We think we don’t have enough time to talk to God or study His Word. But the truth is that we do have enough time—we just waste it on distractions that have no eternal value.
Picture yourself as Martha. Can you imagine Jesus looking into your eyes with a gentle smile and saying:
“(Your name), you are worried and upset over all these details. There is only one thing worth being concerned about.”
Jesus sees you. He knows your busy schedule, but He cares even more about your tired and discouraged heart. Start with Him before a busy day, not with your to-do list. Lean into Him and let everything else flow from there. Friend, imagine the difference if you began your day with Jesus instead of trying to squeeze Him in.
Practical Step: For me, one of the most helpful changes was moving my cell phone to my office and keeping my Bible beside my bed. My phone keeps track of details, but if I grab it first in the morning, I’m immediately distracted. When I leave it on the charger and reach for my Bible instead, I start my day with God. That might be a helpful tip for you too.
I’d love to hear from you: What helps you fight through distractions to spend time with God? How has sitting at the feet of Jesus helped you deal with the busyness of life? Hit reply and share with me!
