Sixty-three women gathered in a mountain lodge as sweat trickled down their temples and battery-powered lanterns flickered in the corners. The power was out. No AC. No lights. No mic. And did I mention I was the weekend speaker?

The worship team sang a cappella. Women lifted their hands in praise while others used their retreat program to fan flushed faces. The atmosphere felt heavy—yet in the middle of it, I whispered, Jesus, make me tender. Let them encounter Your presence.

I stood up that Friday night without a mic and barely enough light to see my notes. A high-pitched alarm screeched incessantly. A noisy tractor drove by. The distractions and irritations were almost comical. I stood before the visibly wilted and weary group, bowed my head and belted out a prayer that I can only describe as from the Holy Spirit – because the atmosphere changed.

Where there was once grumbling and commotion, God now had our attention.

The theme of the retreat was Stay. It was all about practicing God’s presence. I opened with a message on what it means to Stay Tender to God’s Voice – and all the things that keep us hardened to His presence.

We talked about Martha. The one who was worried and upset. The one distracted by her many tasks. The one who came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, don’t you care…?”

Oh, how like Martha we can be. (Hi, I’m raising my hand.)

I’m like Martha when I’m worried about what to make for dinner while playing Uber driver for my teenagers (and how in the world do I get rid of that smell in their soccer bags?). I’m like Martha when the needs around me are overwhelming — but someone’s gotta take care of it and I feel like I’m the only one. I’m like Martha when God invites me to speak at a retreat, but it’s dark and I’m sticky with sweat and straining my voice to project and worried the right words won’t land.

Martha often gets a bad rap because being worried and upset isn’t a good look on anyone, and we quickly focus on the sister sitting at Jesus’s feet who chose what’s better.

There’s no doubt in my mind that I want to be like Mary, soaking up every word from my Savior. But I think we often skip past the very good thing Martha did in the midst of her meltdown:

Martha was distracted by her many tasks, and she came up and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? So tell her to give me a hand.”
Luke 10:40 CSB

In her frenzy and frustration, Martha turned to her friend, Jesus, and told Him exactly what she was feeling and how she saw the situation.

Martha told the truth. And that truth-telling primed her heart to receive His truth.

“Martha, Martha,” Jesus said, “you are worried and upset about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.” (41-42)

Sometimes we can’t see God’s care because we’re too focused on what we’re carrying.

Sometimes we have to first recognize and confess what’s in our hearts before we’re ready to sit at Jesus’s feet.

Jesus didn’t scold Martha’s honesty; He saw her, affirmed her, and then redirected her.

What are you worried and upset about today? Be honest with Jesus.

Honesty with God is the pathway to intimacy with God.

Honesty primes the heart for receptivity.

We have to be receptive – tender – to God’s voice to be transformed by God’s presence.

In order to truly engage with Jesus, Martha had to tell the truth about the distractions that were keeping her heart tough. Friends, we have to do the same.

Come to Jesus as you are. Come frazzled, distracted, or weighed down. Don’t hold back what’s really in your heart. Don’t wait for the noise to die down or for life to feel manageable. Bring your worries. Bring your overwhelm.

Tell Jesus the truth — because only then can He meet you with His.

The lights eventually came back on, and the room erupted in cheers. But the real breakthrough had already happened: God’s presence had pierced the dark, tenderizing our hearts and drawing us closer to Him.

Becky’s new book, A Verse a Day for the Anxious Soul, is a gentle guide into the presence of Jesus — especially when your heart feels heavy or tangled. Order your copy today.

 

Leave a Comment