Other Plans

I struggle with the story of Martha and Mary. You know the sisters from the Bible? 

Martha is a giver, she is constantly working, busying herself to take care of her family, her guests, becoming overwhelmed by the size of the tasks that she has given herself. Her sister Mary, stays and sits by Jesus' feet absorbing everything that he has to say. 

Finally, Martha interrupts Jesus (wha-wha-WHAT?) and tells him that she needs help and that he should send Mary in to help her get the food ready. 

Jesus's reply is what gets me. It gets me every time.

"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

What is God trying to tell me through this? Why would he want me to not work and busy myself for the good of my family, my friends, His people? 

I know that I am a Martha. I have been a Martha for as long as I can remember. It may be a first-born curse. 

You see, I have all of these plans laid out for myself, for my family, for the direction that I think we should go in. I talk the Hubs into following my plans and get more than a little pissy when things don't go my way. It's pretty much how I operate. 

I am a recovering control freak. I work on it a little everyday.

So when God shows up (usually in a very BIG way because I am much too loud, busy, and obnoxious to listen to any still small voices) and changes my plans it tends to send me reeling trying to figure out His plan, His direction. I usually can't.

But it ALWAYS works out in my favor. If I let it, if I sit back and let Him do what it is that He does best, which is take care of me. 

We were in a car accident this weekend on the interstate heading home from a family reunion in Georgia. We were rear-ended off of the highway and into a ditch. The car was totalled, but my family and I walked away from the accident without a scratch, bump, or bruise. 

And, if I had not been in that accident, I would not have had the opportunity to spend more time with my own sister or gotten to go to lunch with my aunt for the first time in 20 years.

Just a short time ago I would be pacing frantically wanting DEMANDING answers from God on why he would allow something so bad to happen to us. I would have been crying and crazed, I would have made rash decisions that would better our lives temporarily but not permanently and then would have asked God why he would have allowed me to make such a huge mistake. I would have ignored the health and safety of my family that he has granted and would have instead focused on the material possessions that we have lost.

But He has the control over my life now and this morning I am counting that as one of the many blessings that He has given me. His plans are always better for me than the ones I concoct on my own. 

I am still a recovering control freak, but I am growing every single day.