The Mirror of the Word and other works by C.E. White can be purchased on her website, cewhitebooks.com or on Amazon

“But the Lord answered and said to her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; but only one thing is necessary; for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.’”

—Luke 10:41–42

Are we living worried and distracted by many things? We often bustle around thinking we’re serving the Lord while doing things he never asked of us, missing out on the richness of relationship with him.

There’s so much on our to–do lists, but only one thing is necessary—to sit at the Jesus’s feet.

All other efforts may crumble, and all other goals may lay beyond our ability, but this one thing is necessary. 

If we choose it, it will not be taken from us; its benefit is guaranteed and eternal. 

We neglect it because it’s invisible. We can’t quantify it, and we feel the need to prove our worth with accomplishment, so instead of resting with him, we busy ourselves in ways others can see.

But Mary didn’t worry about what Martha thought of her; she was simply hungry for Jesus’s words.

When we look around our homes, our lives, and the world, let’s take a deep breath and stop scurrying around overwhelmed, frustrated, and overworked. 

If we make only one resolution in this New Year, let it be to sit at Jesus’s feet and allow his words to fuel our souls. In the short–term, the worth of our private devotion may be hidden to others, but the long–term benefit is the fruit of the Spirit overflowing in our lives—peace, love, and joy that no one can take from us.

Let us rest and choose the good part—the only thing that is necessary. 

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