You don't have to toil!
*To hear this inspiration on Dianna’s podcast—an audio companion to the written devotion—click here to listen.
I have noticed a trendy phrase online. It consists of just two words: “That part.”
Those who type “That part” in the comment section of a post do so to express agreement with a point made in the post and to add emphasis to the message. I suppose the expression is the equivalent of popular colloquialisms like: “You better preach!”; “I know that’s right!”; “Yes, say that!”; or “I’ma throw my shoe at you!”
Okay, well, maybe that last one was just where I come from. I grew up Pentecostal, saints. Hand-clapping. Foot-stomping. Tongue-talking. Church of God In Christ. Anybody else go to a church or visited a church maybe, where, when the saints get excited about someone singing or preaching, they shout out, “I’ma throw my shoe?”
Some people will actually throw a shoe at you, so duck. Others—and this is most common—will just hold the shoe up like they might hit you. It sounds violent now that I’m thinking about it, but it’s actually a good thing.
I remember when I was in my teens, and I was ministering during a youth service. I had never been to this particular church before. And in the middle of my sermon, I saw about eight different people walking toward the front of the church where I was standing with the microphone, and they were all holding up one shoe and frowning at me like they were mad. This was the first time I ever experienced the shoe thing and the scowling, and I was terrified inside. I know God has not given us the spirit of fear, but a sister was scared, mmmkay?
I didn’t show it, but I was thinking, am I in trouble? Are these people trying to fight me? Lord, did I do or say something wrong? Do I need to run? Do I need to cast the devil out? I mean, what is happening?
It was scary. But I just kept teaching, and I never did get hit with a shoe—thank You Jesus, Hallelujah! God spared me. And after service, I was told that the people were blessed. So, there’s that. But that experience is how I learned that being threatened with a shoe was positive. It was a traumatic way to learn it, but I survived.
You know what’s funny? I lost a lot of my more recent memories when I was in the hospital. But some of my older memories are still so vivid—like the “shoe terrorists” at the church.
Anyway…when somebody types That Part on the internet, they’re throwing their shoe. No, it’s a confirmation that they agree with what is being said. After all, you must admit, it is really refreshing when we find folks sharing sage wisdom on the Internet, right? The place where foolishness is widely accepted, embraced, and shared. Personally, I love soaking up wisdom, but not just any wisdom, the wisdom of the word of God.
JESUS SAID SOMETHING THAT MADE ME SAY, ‘THAT PART!’
So, as I was reading Luke 10:38-42, I thought to myself, Jesus said something here that would warrant the “That part” response.
In this familiar text often used in sermon illustrations, the savior was over at His friends’ house for a visit. Sisters Mary and Martha, who are the focal points of the story, loved Jesus equally but expressed their love in different ways. Martha busied herself with dinner preparations to make sure each of her guests, including Jesus, were most comfortable. Mary, on the other hand, sat rapt at the feet of Jesus, feasting on His invaluable words of life.
Though Martha saw the value of Jesus’ teaching as well, she thought it more fitting to serve than sit in that moment. After a while, seeing that she was serving all by herself, Martha got agitated and expressed to Jesus that Mary should have gotten herself up off the floor and helped Martha with all these preparations! Martha was like, sis, you are not that deep. Stop using Jesus to avoid these dirty dishes!
Let me briefly add, I think it neither an unfair nor unreasonable assumption on Martha’s part that she deserved help from her sister. I mean, we all want help around the house, especially on special occasions when we have guests, and our duties are multiplied. Yet, it didn’t go Martha’s way. Jesus corrected Martha’s thinking by pointing out that Mary had chosen the “better part” by not toiling and instead sitting still at His feet.
Somebody, say, “That part”
I remember when my medical situation a couple of years ago required me to slow down and stop all the activities I was doing. Initially, it was obviously the right and necessary thing to do. But as time passed, I started feeling some better and found myself wanting to resume everything I had been doing before. I was used to working extremely hard and going at a fast pace, even to the point of exhaustion. Toiling had become normal and commonplace for me albeit unhealthy and unsustainable. I was always on the go. Busy, busy, busy.
When I began feeling better, not only was resuming my previous pace unrealistic and impossible for me, but it wasn’t even the will of God for me to do things the way I once had. And you know what? It took me a while to accept that.
The only way I was able to discover God’s will for me in this present season was to sit still like Mary did at the feet of Jesus and allow Him to give me instruction.
“Sometimes, we are too busy in the name of serving the Lord. But if serving leaves you no time to sit still and hear from the Master, it’s time to clear some things off your plate.”
A FUNDAMENTAL AND VALUABLE PRINCIPLE
A fundamental and valuable principle I learned over the past 24 months that I want to pass along to you is this: who you serve, which is clearly the Lord, never changes, but how you serve does. Always remember that. Furthermore, knowing how God wants you to serve in a particular season is not possible unless you first sit at His feet and discover His will—something you can never do if you’re caught in a cycle of toiling. This is such an important word and I pray you receive it.
How many times do we make the mistake of not getting clarity from God before making a move? How often do we just rush to service and reject stillness?
Imagine for a moment, if you will, being hungry and pulling up to a drive-thru window at a restaurant. Instead of the attendant asking what you want, let’s say the drive-thru worker hands you what they think is good without ever taking your order. Also, let’s assume they have only the best intentions and even customize your meal based on what they believe is most delicious and fulfilling. Despite their good intentions, that likely would go very wrong. Why? Because they cannot know what you specifically want without listening to you first.
For example, they might think extra cheese is delicious and load your burger with it, but you could be lactose intolerant. Too bad they wouldn’t know because they didn’t ask. They may love onions, but onions may trigger your gag reflex.
You get the picture.
In this context, ask this question: why do we attempt to serve the Lord without taking His orders first? Maybe He wants you to do things differently in this season. But if you fail to sit at his feet, you might make the mistake of toiling, thinking you are serving Him using last season’s orders, when God has moved on from that.
All that to say, seasons of sitting down and slowing down are critical. You’ve got to get your marching orders and learn what God’s desires are before you can fulfill His mandate.
STUCK IN A CYCLE
Scripture tells us, “But Martha was distracted with all her preparations” (Luke 10:40a NASB).
Interestingly, Martha’s name is derived from a word meaning to be bitter, and we see the meaning of her name exemplified through her actions in this story, don’t we? Martha went off. She was quite bitter and upset with her sister Mary for not joining her in working, grinding, and staying busy—even though these are the very things that were tearing Martha apart, making her anxious and worried, and miserable.
For a moment, let’s dwell on the fact that deep down, Martha wanted to be doing exactly what Mary was doing—sitting at Jesus’ feet, absorbing His wisdom like a sponge, listening to His comforting words that would soothe her worried and anxious heart. But she felt torn, stuck in a cycle of toiling, doing things a certain way. She thought she had to be busy. She was tormenting herself, and it wasn’t even necessary. She didn’t have to or need to be doing all that.
Could you, like Martha, be stuck in a cycle too, doing what you think you must do that isn’t even necessary? What have you assumed that you must accomplish without asking God if that’s even what He wants you to be doing? Are you conflicted? If so, God is sending this word to give rest to your weary heart.
He wants you to know that there are so many people who are grinding and toiling their way to misery. But you, dear servant of the King, don’t have to be a hamster on a wheel, spinning and spinning faster but going nowhere. You don’t have to toil. It’s okay to release some things. It’s alright to let go. It’s fine to say no to some stuff. It’s perfectly healthy to move forward past some things, to change, to evolve, to grow. Somebody needs to hear and know, it’s really okay.
You don’t have to have all the answers and work yourself into the ground. You shouldn’t feel obligated to be perfect, on-point, booked and busy all the time. God is more interested in you making space for the better part.
He is the better part.
In His presence is fullness of joy. In His presence is the direction you need. In His presence is the healing you desire. In His presence is the love, acceptance, validation, and comfort you crave. Of course, that doesn’t mean you shirk all your responsibilities, ditch your job, and drop all the tasks that add value to your life and are important.
No, God will give you strength and grace to fulfill those obligations.
But He is specifically after some things on our plates that He didn’t put there, that life doesn’t mandate, that need to be cleared from our plates for good. What things could be sucking the joy and life out of you? What actions are you taking that may be a result of you copying, imitating, and emulating the patterns of this world? Cultural attitudes? And popular actions of those who appear to be productive—when in all actuality they are miserable and bitter, and desperately in need of a break?
They would rather stop or slow down, but they simply don’t know how. They don’t know they can. They don’t understand what it means to live without the frustration of the toil.
AN INVITATION
If this sounds anything like you, there’s no condemnation, no shame, no reason to feel guilty— just an opportunity and an invitation to change. To slow down. To stop toiling. To give up the unnecessary grind. To be more present. To enjoy your life. To reprioritize. To set boundaries. To take care of your mental and physical health better. To rest—both physically and spiritually—and get to know the Lord, our Shepherd better, the One of whom David said in Psalm 23:2, “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.”
Some trials, struggles, losses, disappointments, and personal setbacks are what God uses as attention-getters to make you lie down, to lead you beside the still waters, and cause you to get still in His presence long enough to spend some time with Him. You can’t do that while you’re toiling.
At this moment, I sense the presence of God, and He is saying, hey, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”
This passage I just quoted is found in Matthew 11:28-29 KJV, which is what I’m stirring into your cup of inspiration. As you drink down the contents of your cup, Jesus is inviting you to choose the better part— that part that Mary chose. That part that I have chosen. That part that allows you to stop toiling.
That part that makes space for Him to speak. That part that gives room for Him to comfort and heal. That part that leaves an opening to receive His guidance. That part that is willing to be still long enough for God to pour out His wisdom, love, blessings, and favor upon you.
There are some things that God can only release to you if you stop toiling, and simply be still.
Now, let’s pray.
God, I have tried to do things my way and figure out how best to serve You and navigate life’s challenges on my own. But my way of toiling and figuring things out isn’t working. My way has only led to more questions, frustration, and restlessness. So today, I ask that You please help me surrender my plans and my whole life to You and sit at Your feet while opening my heart to receive Your wisdom, guidance, joy, and peace I so desperately need. Thank You for teaching me to rest in You and serve in a way that pleases You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you desire prayer, please allow me, along with my intercessory prayer team, to stand in faith with you for breakthrough. We would be so honored. We have seen God work over and over again. There is power in agreement. Click here to request prayer now.
As always, thanks for reading and until next time... may today's cup of inspiration uplift, encourage, and empower you!
