A Better Focus to Know What Fuels Your Soul
Do you know what fuels your soul? I’m not asking what makes you happy or what helps you relax. Fueling one’s soul isn’t necessarily about achieving more or setting oneself up to be more productive. Allow me to phrase the question this way: What enables you to see Christ more clearly and empowers you to commit willingly to obedience?
Jesus provides an answer when He goes to dinner at Mary and Martha’s house. It’s an answer that seems simple, yet we often find it confusing.
“But one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken from her.”
Luke 10:42 CSB
Mary vs. Martha
Have you ever noticed that Christian women tend to classify themselves and each other as a Mary or a Martha. For example, we characterize each other in these types of terms: a slacker vs an achiever; tenderhearted vs. bossy; easy-going vs. productive; learner vs. a know-it-all; a student vs a worker. Unfortunately, we don’t see either archetype in a very positive light.
If you examine the full story of Mary, Martha, and Jesus in Luke 10 (it’s only 5 verses), you discern that Jesus didn’t say Mary was better than Martha. God never communicates one type of person is better than another. John tells us, “For God so loved the world…” (John 3:16), and the Psalmist David says, “I praise you because you made me in an amazing and wonderful way. What you have done is wonderful. I know this very well.” (Psalm 139:14, NCV) In other words, each of us is uniquely created and dearly loved by our Creator.
Similar and Different
Have you considered how similar we are and yet how incredibly distinct? When you explore the enneagram, you discover there are only 9 types. Each type identifies WHY a person acts and reacts the way she does. Yet each person, within each type, is one-of-a-kind because of her wing traits, and the degree to which she is living into her stress path or blind spot.
Gallop has assembled a list of 34 “strengths.” Each person’s strengths tell HOW he will do something; the instinctive or natural way he thinks, feels, and behaves. In the book Living Your Strengths it states, “[the] chances of meeting someone with the same Signature Themes [top 5 strengths], regardless of order, are less than 1 in 275,00.” (Winseman, Albert L; Clifton, Donald O; Liesveld, Curt. Living Your Strengths. Gallup Press, 2008. Page 63-64.)
Mary’s Choice
We don’t know Mary or Martha’s enneagram type, nor we do know their strengths. We do know that Jesus didn’t identify one as the right type of person. What He did say was that Mary made a more beneficial choice in that particular moment.
In Luke 10:41, Jesus describes Martha as “worried and upset about many things.” (CSB) In Luke 10:42, Jesus doesn’t describe Mary at all. He declares she has made a right choice. I know I’ve read it over and over and thought, tell me, in black and white, what did she specifically choose?
Let me be honest, my non-achieving personality wants to assert Mary made the choice to not do the stuff. She determined a less-than-perfect dinner was acceptable. I figure this take on the story could release me from many inconvenient chores.
A Better Focus
I propose Jesus wasn’t saying Mary chose a better action, instead, Jesus expressed to Martha that Mary embraced a better focus. Mary opted to fuel her soul. For Mary, her soul was fueled by concentrating on what Christ had to say in that very moment. Consequently, she stopped all other activity and settled at His feet where she could listen better.
I know some friends who are fueled by helping others, their focus on Christ is sharpened when they enable someone to succeed. Other friends are fueled by intense, in-depth research into God’s Word. Our souls are fueled by what compels us to distinguish Christ in our every day lives, targeting our attention on who He is and what would delight Him most.
Allow me to ask again: what fuels your soul? What places you in a position to perceive Christ clearly in your day-to-day activities? What best prompts you to persist in obedience and faith? What trains you to remain in Christ and guards Christ living in you as Jesus describes in John 15?
Learn to Fuel Your Soul
Lately, I trudged a journey discovering what fuels my soul. Allow me to suggest three exercises.
1. Know Yourself
Get to know yourself and what makes you tick. For example, investigate the enneagram; Beth McCord has helpful books. Complete the strength finders test through Gallup and read Living your Strengths. Or select another personality test to research and master. Furthermore, ask yourself questions like: why did I react in that way? What am I expecting internally from this person or activity?
As you get to know yourself, remember you are extraordinary. You were not created to be just like anyone else even if you are the same enneagram type or have the same strengths or personality description. Be grateful for how God has wired you, and don’t in any way, devalue how our Creator God has formed you.
2. Know God’s Truth
Get to know what God believes about you. Do a Google search of verses that describe what God says about us. Do a YouVersion Bible study plan like “Who Does God say I Am?” “Women of Worth,” or “You are More than a Label.” Read a book such as “You are the Girl for the Job” by Jess Connally, “Made for This” by Jennie Allen, “Lies Women Believe” by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth, or “You’re Already Amazing” by Holley Gerth.
3. Discipline Your Mind
Discipline your mind to fixate on God’s truth and God’s will. Begin the habit of asking the Holy Spirit: what is my most beneficial choice concerning my relationship with you in this moment? Memorize scripture, write verses on post-it-notes and distribute them everywhere, set your phone to remind you to pause and pray, make a gratitude list. Do what will strengthen your ability to perceive God, and embrace God over and over, regardless of the demands you feel.
God longs for you to believe He values you, whether you are a Mary or a Martha. God purposefully created you with your unique gifts, abilities, and perception, and He delights in what He has made. He wants to fuel your soul; He wants to empower you to focus on Him and live abundantly in worship and obedience.
I love this look into Martha and Mary. It is easy to assume Jesus wasn’t happy with Martha because of her “doing”. Isn’t it a trap we fall into all the time? Our “doing” in order to make God happy with us or for His approval!! I love the know yourself, the truth and discipline my mind. I am fueled by my precious time with Him each morning. That’s part of my discipline as well as
trying to hear Him throughout my day. Knowing myself? Well I can struggle like any of us with wishing I had a gift or talent like someone else but REALLY I find I am fueled when God uses me in the gifts He has given ME, not someone else. My top 5 strengths are mostly relational in strengths. I find myself fueled and humbled at the same time when He lets me be part of the plan to touch another person. I’ve learned to love myself for who I am, who He made me. Really I don’t want to be someone else, I want to be me.
And His truth. Well it sets me free from what destroys me instead of fueling me. I love His Word. It has truly been “fuel” to my soul. In the last few months He has faithfully given me scripture that I have needed and it’s been my lifeline. Praise His Name!
I heartedly agree that we are fueled when God uses us within the gifts He has given to us. And It is hard at times when we perceive someone else is living life well in their own skin. I think I envy at times the “success” I believe they are experiencing, more than the gift they are exhibiting. Thanks so much for sharing, you encourage me!