If you’ve ever walked into a gym without having a clear workout plan, you’ve probably experienced that feeling of standing there looking around you at all the training options and asking yourself where to begin, and you may realize at one point that you’ve spent more time walking around the different stations than you have actually doing any work. I remember talking to a trainer once and having her tell me that’s the worst thing for her to see: people wandering around overwhelmed by all the options to the point that they don’t even know where to start.
That’s a human reaction, often called “paralysis by analysis.” And it happens in all aspects of our lives – particularly when we become overwhelmed by information, instruction, advice, inspiration, warnings, and every other type of motivational messaging tell you what’s wrong with your life, what’s wrong with society, what’s wrong with government … Basically everything is broken, and everything needs to be fixed TODAY!
You may be getting stressed just reading this!
What do we do when we feel overwhelmed with choices, with problems to solve, opportunities to chase? We all know the answer, but sometimes we need to be reminded of it: Pick one.
Pick what matters most in your life
In Matthew 10, Jesus reminded Martha of that concept as she expressed frustration at being overwhelmed with serving the people in her house who were listening to Jesus teach – and seeing her sister Mary doing nothing to assist.
Jesus told 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.”
Jesus’ point obviously wasn’t that we should NEVER be concerned with a clean house or hospitality. The question involved priorities — when faced with a choice, which one do I pick? Which is problem is more pressing? Which opportunity is most promising?
We live in a world where it seems as if everything is on fire — even when we live lives that are safer and easier than at any point in human history. Many of the problems faced today are there simply because we have the time, information, and liberty to see them as problems that can actually be addressed. And make no mistake, many of those problems need to be addressed.
But where do I begin when addressing racial injustice? Corrupt societal behavior? Hatred and mistrust toward people who don’t see the world as I do, or who have different skin color or nationality? A culture that seems to be spiraling out of control faster every year?
For Christians, the beginning is easy. It all begins with Jesus.
Does my solution point others to Jesus?
We have been called to clothe ourselves in Christ, to look to Jesus for guidance and inspiration throughout every facet of our life, through every persecution, every difficulty. We see his example of sacrifice, of love, of righteousness, of submission to God, and we strive to conform ourselves to that image every day. And if something doesn’t accomplish that, it’s no longer a priority for us.
The apostle Paul said that whatever gain he had from this world, he counted now as loss for the sake of Christ (Phil. 3:7-8). For his sake, Paul said, I have suffered the loss of all things and counted them rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.
The chaos surrounding me is important only to the extent that it impacts my ability to seek Christ, or to conform myself to that image. My calling is not to fix the world, my calling is to abide in the words of Christ, and call others to do the same.
As Jesus described the life of a disciple, he said “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Notice the phrase — Jesus is saying that your light, your influence, your behavior, your speech are to be used in such a way that not only do they produce good works, but that the one who sees them knows exactly where they come from.
Our task is to show Christ in our lives. Our goal is to glorify God as a result. I don’t show Christ in my life by engaging in works that point people to any solution other than Christ. Even the best intentions that offer worldly solutions or place worldly leaders at the forefront are ruled out, because they are not part of the “one thing” we are called to pursue in this life.
Maybe that makes our choices a little easier when we know we need to do something in response to the present distress. I don’t work through a “movement.” I don’t work through a human organization. I don’t try to convert people to a government solution, or anything that leads people to any other conclusion but that we need to entrust our lives to God.
I can’t control the world, nor should I try. I can’t compel people to change their hearts, any more than I can force them to obey the gospel. If I’m focusing my energies on changing the behavior of people I will never meet in this lifetime, then I’m doomed to failure and frustration.
So my options — the tools at my disposal, the exercise equipment I’m going to commit to using every time I step into that gym — are about dealing with individuals in such a way that they can see that no matter what the world is doing around me, I’m at peace. I’m living a life driven by love, kindness, sacrifice, and godliness. And I do that because I have a savior who died for me, and gave me hope of something better than the corruption surrounding us in this life.
That’s how we avoid spending our time chasing vain pursuits, and start truly training for godliness.
