Today’s entry from Thirty Days of Devotion, within the season of rest, is about the Fallacy of Productivity.
Fallacy? What? Getting things done is a good thing. Accomplishments. Little check marks on my todo list. That’s the ultimate in success to me! How can there be anything false about it? I’m sure that’s what Martha thought as well.
Today’s devotion hit me square in the face. My quiet time needs to be just that—quiet. Submitted before God. Not thinking about the next think or how long I have or what I’ve already forgotten to do or write down or discuss.
Satan uses productivity to keep us motivated to stay busy. (Tweet this!)
It’s like the stars that teachers put on homework charts. The more rewards received, the more wanted.
But this is one good thing (and don’t get me wrong, productivity IS a good thing) that is bad when there’s too much of it. God made us to work for a time and rest for a time. We are the same way spiritually. We have spiritual work to do, but we have spiritual rest that we need, feasting on Him, His strength and fellowship.
And we cannot miss that important blessing!
I’d say that I definitely lean toward the Martha side of things. I struggle to be more like Mary, but my distracted mind is always moving to the next thing. I’m still working on that balance.
Your turn: What about you? Are you Mary or Martha? You might already have found the balance, successfully spending time in Honor to the Lord with all of your mind, yet when you work, you throw yourself into it 100%. Or maybe you have trouble with both sides of this coin; you’re distracted when you try to be quiet, yet you never quite work to your fullest. (I’ve been there, too.) What is God asking of you today?
If you having already joined us for our daily challenges, please prayerfully consider doing so. You don’t have to catch up, just start where we are, with the 3rd entry in Thirty Days of Devotion. Read the entry and share your thoughts right here, then come back tomorrow to join us again with entry #4, When Do You Pray.
Marji Laine 
2015/September at 7:04 am
I also tend towards being Martha always busy with preparations. Like you Christa, I struggle with clarity of thought when I am not well for the day. I struggle to keep my thoughts with the Lord. Then on the days I am well, I do feel like I have ADD and ADHD. I cannot quiet my body or mind. But some how the Lord helps me with gentle reminders: a song He will give in my heart or a verse. I think we may not “feel” Him but He is always with us reminding us of Him.
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2015/September at 9:21 pm
I didn’t know you had the ADD thing, too, Kristen! It’s weird, isn’t it? Before MCS I didn’t know it was “acquirable.” I love hw the Lord helps you w/ gentle reminders!!!
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2015/September at 1:28 pm
I lean toward Martha. That’s been interesting being so sick, but God has also given me satisfying work to do in bed-what a blessing! I don’t know if I’ve achieved balance…. The other thing being so sick has affected is brain fog, memory problems, no ability to have routine (depends on sleep & other non-controlables), and for the first time in my life I sometimes feel like I have ADD!! It can come with this illness. Sometimes it’s because I am trying so desperately to keep my mind off the pain (because I can’t take anything for it). So, devotions are more of a challenge in those ways. HOwever, I do find myself praying throughout the day a lot. Because otherwise I’d forget what I wanted to pray for by the end of the day. lol
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2015/September at 1:35 pm
I do like to feel productive, even when my system is down. I can’t conceive of what you’ve been going through, but I had a virus with one of my girls back in June. Three days of lying around. I thought I’d go crazy. Couldn’t type or even read without being nauseated. The Lord started convicting me then about how I wasn’t indulging in quiet time with Him – making a practice of it.
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