Don’t Miss What’s Right in Front of You

Read

Luke 10:41–42 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Think

Most of us are moving fast, but we’re not sure toward what. It’s like we’re busy by default—bouncing between texts, tasks, and notifications—afraid to fall behind but not sure where we’re supposed to land. The calendar stays full. The to-do list never ends. And even when we finally stop, our minds don’t. We scroll. We rehash. We plan ahead. Stillness feels foreign, maybe even irresponsible.

That was Martha. She loved Jesus. She wasn’t doing anything wrong. She was just overwhelmed and distracted—trying to serve him while missing the chance to sit with him. Her heart was in the right place, but her focus was fractured. She thought doing for Jesus was the same as being with him.

Mary, on the other hand, slowed down. She didn’t get caught in the chaos. She locked in on presence over productivity. And Jesus didn’t rebuke Martha for working—he just gently pointed out: you’re missing the moment. How often do we do that?

We fill our schedules but miss our kids. We check the boxes but miss the Spirit. We get the dinner on the table but forget to look people in the eyes. We do good things for God but forget the better thing: to be with him.

And Jesus’ words still echo with kindness: only one thing is truly needed. Not another task. Not another achievement. Just attention. Just time with him.

That kind of slowing down isn’t easy. We live in a culture that celebrates hustle and idolizes productivity. So to pause? To sit and listen? It can feel wasteful. But in the kingdom of God, it’s holy. It’s the difference between exhaustion and renewal. Between rushing and receiving.

The truth is, your value doesn’t come from what you can do—it comes from who you’re with. And the “better thing” isn’t behind a locked door or reserved for spiritual elites. It’s available, right here, in the middle of your very real life. In the carpool line. In the quiet before your house wakes up. In the pause before you answer that email.

You don’t have to retreat to find Jesus. You just have to stop long enough to notice he’s already there. And when you do? You’ll find that what you thought you were missing… was missing you, too.

Apply

Be intentionally interruptible today. When a moment of stillness shows up—before a meeting, in the car, during lunch—don’t fill it. Use it. Pray. Breathe. Invite Jesus into it. And when someone needs your full attention, put your phone down. Look them in the eye. Choose presence. Because sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is actually pay attention.

Pray

Jesus, I don’t want to miss you in the middle of my busyness. Help me slow down—not just in pace, but in heart. Teach me to choose what’s better: to listen, to linger, to be fully present with you and with others. You’re here. I want to notice. In Jesus’ name. Amen.