Are you anxious about many things? Do you feel overwhelmed, overworked, and under-appreciated? Do Jesus’s words to Martha give you comfort or do they make you want to scream? If you are a Type-A personality, being told to slow down and take a “chill pill” may not be received too well. On the other hand, if you are a more laid back personality, being told to get to get off your duff and get to work won’t be music to your ears either.
Sometimes the words that God speaks to us are not always palatable. They make us bristle. We become resistant and perhaps even angry. Yet, when we stop and reflect upon what God is saying to us, it makes sense.
Abraham encounters the Triune God under the terebinth tree at Mamre. God speaks to him of something that seemed impossible: his aged wife would bear a son. Yet upon reflection, Abraham recognized that God’s word is real. St. Paul echoes this sentiment by reminding the Colossians that God’s word will be brought to completion. We, as ministers of the Gospel, are called to be good stewards who make God manifest through our words and actions. In other words, God’s word is made real when we participate in the ministry of Christ.
But in order to participate in Christ, we need to sit at the feet of the Master and learn the Word. We cannot do this unless we make a conscious decision to set aside worldly cares and concerns. For those of us who are continually active, this will be difficult. But we need to occasionally take a retreat from life and learn to sit quietly and reflect on God and His Word.
My suggestion for we who are A-type personalities is to schedule “down time” or “meditation time” every day, even if it is only for 10 minutes. Even more important is to schedule an extended period of relaxation several times a year. Although it will be excruciating to “do nothing” and we will be tempted to take work with us, it is imperative that we have this retreat with the Lord not only for our spiritual well-being but for our physical and mental health as well.
May we learn to be more “Mary-like” in our pursuit of building up our relationship with God.
