Before I was saved, I was a slave. Not in chains, but to something just as heavy: society’s expectations and hustle culture. My worth felt tied to how much I could achieve, how busy I could stay, and how successful I appeared.

When I found Jesus, I discovered a whole new way of living. A life of freedom and peace. A life where rest didn’t feel like sin and grace didn’t need to be earned.

Yet, even after salvation, I’ve felt that same pressure creep back in – but this time disguised as spiritual hustle. More prayer, more Bible study, more time serving – that sounds good, right? Shouldn’t we always do more for God? But when that desire to “do” outweighs our desire to simply be with Him, we start chasing His approval rather than resting in His love.

Let’s look at Luke 10:38-42 (ESV) – Mary and Martha. Jesus arrives, and Martha welcomes Him into her home and gets to work. The Lord is in her home, so of course she wants to serve Him! While Martha is cooking and serving Jesus, her sister Mary is seated at His feet, listening to His teaching. Martha comes to Jesus, saying, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Then tell her to help me.” Jesus replies to her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” So, while Martha decided to serve the Lord through acts, Mary decided to sit and listen – to be with Him.

We’ve all been Martha. We’ve all asked ourselves, “What more can I do for the Lord?” And that’s not a bad place to be – I want the Lord to use me as His hands and feet and do work that will glorify Him during my time on Earth. But, what if we stop being a Martha and start being a Mary? What if the holiest thing we can do this week isn’t adding more to our to-do list, but resting in the truth that His love is not earned – it’s given?

I’m learning that God doesn’t love me because of what I do for Him – He loves me because I am His. My worth isn’t in how much I serve, but in how much I stay close to Him. Sometimes, the most holy thing I can do is simply sit at His feet, listen, and rest.

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV)