Living with Discernment and Intention

We often assume faith means doing more. Serving harder. Staying busy so we do not miss what God might be asking of us. I have lived in that space, believing productivity was the same as obedience. I thought if I stayed useful, I stayed faithful.

Mary and Martha show us something deeper.

Martha loved Jesus. Her service came from devotion, not indifference. But her attention became divided, pulled between what needed to be done and who was standing right in front of her. Mary chose differently. She stopped long enough to listen. Not because service did not matter, but because presence mattered more in that moment.

That is where discernment becomes real. Not when we are choosing between right and wrong, but when we are choosing between two good things. Scripture speaks directly to this kind of focus and intentionality: “Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet” (Proverbs 4:25–26).

Jesus did not correct Martha for serving. He gently redirected her heart. He showed her that activity can crowd out intimacy if we are not careful. There are seasons when God calls us to move and seasons when He calls us to sit. Wisdom is knowing the difference.

I have learned that stillness is not laziness. It is trust. It says I believe God can work even when my hands are not busy. It allows space for clarity, peace, and direction that cannot be found in constant motion.

When I slow down, I hear Him more clearly.

When I listen, my service becomes lighter and more aligned.

Scripture reminds us of this moment clearly:

“Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:42).

This verse is not an invitation to abandon responsibility. It is an invitation to slow down long enough to hear what God is asking today.

If you feel distracted, stretched thin, or quietly resentful, pause and ask what God is asking of you right now. It may not be more effort. It may be attention. It may be rest. It may be presence.

God honors both service and stillness when they flow from obedience.

Reflection & Journaling

• Where in my life am I busy but distracted?

• What might God be inviting me to slow down and notice?

• Am I serving from love or from pressure?

Quiet Prayer

God, help me discern what this season requires. Teach me when to serve

and when to sit at Your feet. Quiet my distractions so I can hear You clearly.

I want my faith to be rooted in presence, not pressure. Amen.