Distracted with Serving

Serving in ministry is praiseworthy, and those who serve take pleasure in doing work for the Lord. Sometimes we can get distracted from serving and venture off in a different direction.  It might be misplaced focus, lack of passion, or unclear purpose that draws our attention elsewhere.  Surprisingly, we can actually be distracted with serving — we serve so much that we miss whom and why we are serving.  Case in point: Martha. She showed hospitality to Jesus and did everything she thought best to serve him.  The logistics were covered, but she felt the burden fell upon her. Luke 10:40 reveals her predicament: “But Martha was distracted with much serving.”  This single-minded distractedness led to her complaining about other people — namely, her sister — rather than serving.  The interesting thing about Martha’s lament is her accusatory question, “Lord, do you not care?”  Jesus responded with pinpoint accuracy as he addressed her anxiety and burden about ministry.  He went on to state that her sister, Mary, “has chosen the good portion” (v. 42).

Like Martha, we can be so distracted with doing something for Jesus that we forget to spend time with Jesus.  Though Martha questioned the motives of her sister, it is evident that Mary was drawn to be with Jesus as he taught.  With all the things we think we need to get done, what is missed is Jesus in our midst. Spending time with Jesus inevitably leads us to serve him joyfully, but the converse is also true: serving Jesus does not always lead us to spend time with him. We can move around the room or the church with purposeful activity and miss Jesus at the center, rarely giving him a glance or a moment of time as we serve in his name.  The balance comes in savoring and serving Jesus, and being attentive to him and his will.  May we be with Jesus in such a way that informs what we do for Jesus.

How about you?  Do you ever get so caught up with doing ministry for Jesus that you are actually distracted from spending time with Jesus?

You can read more from Mike Medeiros on his blog, Musings in the Middle, here:  https://mikemedeirosblog.wordpress.com/.