Monday, April 28, 2008

Suffering from Marthaplexy.........

Another weekend goes down in the history books. Is it just me or is time speeding up each year?

It's funny but if I had to guess what time of the year it is by my surroundings it would be very difficult. The weather has been unseasonably cold and the stores are all selling 4th of July stuff. Of course when it really is the 4th of July they will be selling Christmas trees and winter coats! I believe this is another way that the world makes it difficult for us to "live in the moment". If we are constantly
looking so far ahead, how can we enjoy THIS day that the Lord has made?

Personally I like to live in the past, that is where the sales are! The after Christmas bargains were amazing! (LOL)

Seriously though, this weekend at church we learned there is actually a name for this condition (focusing so much on busyness, preparations and worrying about the unnecessary details of life that it spoils your here and now). It is called Marthaplexy! My husband is quite certain I suffer from this disease. No, I haven't begun decorating for the 4th of July yet but I have let myself get so caught up in daily anxiety that I have not taken the time to sit at the feet of Jesus and do the one thing that is required: spend time with Him.

So if you too are suffering from Marthaplexy, here is the prescription my Pastor offered.


1) Resign a
ll undue responsibilities. -----This means I need to know what my responsibilities are and what are God's responsibilities. My family, house, car, bank account, body, children........they are all His anyway and I need to trust Him to handle them!

2) Relax and enjoy time with family and friends. ------Jesus modeled this behavior by having deep and meaningful relationships with others. He made time to eat with friends, fish with friends, pray with His Father.....He was not stressed out and distracted by the details of life! He knew it was in these relationships he would be refreshed.

3) Reflect on the Lord through meditation and prayer. ------As my schedule is changing I need to be really careful not to ignore daily quiet time. I am very guilty of putting it off and thinking, "first I need to do this" or "I will sit down after I finish that". However, it is in the time I spend at the feet of Jesus I will be empowered to do everything else!

OK so now I have put a name to the "condition" from which I suffer and I know how to treat it, but just like anything else I will only be cured if I follow the prescription. Not an easy thing to do in this fast-paced and driven world! If Satan can't keep us distracted, the news media can. However, I am not of this world and greater is He that is in me than he who is in the world!

Starting today I am going to make a list of all the things that I am worrying about that are not my responsibility (gas prices, the cost of living, the presidential race, the car I drive, other's opinions of me, the weather, my children's future, my past mistakes, decorating for future holidays (LOL).......and I am giving them back to God. All I am truly responsible for is my relationship with Him and if that is good, then everything else will fall right into place!

As for the second step in the prescription, God has provided me many opportunities to enjoy the company of family and friends over the next couple of months. Between luncheon invitations, sporting events, graduation parties, a certain She Speaks conference.......the calendar is ripe with activity!

And lastly, I am planning to be much more intentional about my "quiet time" with the Lord. For me this is the most difficult of the 3 steps and yet the most important. If I neglect this step everything else is done in vain. Only through daily quiet time will I be renewed and energized to carry on throughout my day.

I have no idea how many people suffer from Marthaplexy but my guess is there are lots of us. The good news is that with the right prescription we can go on to live joyful and fulfilled lives!!

12 comments:

Melanie said...

Oh, Kelley... I am right there with you on this one! I'm a chronic sufferer of Marthaplexy. I'm going to write a list of the items your pastor gave you yesterday and try to focus on these things. The daily quiet time is one for me, too, to work on. I'm getting better... but still have a ways to go to make this more consistent.

I'm so glad you shared this... just what I needed.

Kim@Seasons of My Heart said...

Kelley~
Great post today, and I think if each of use are honest...we suffer from this condition too..in one form or another!! lol

It's so great to have a goal...and try to reach it.

Worry is so good at stealing our joy...our peace....etc....you are so SMART...to draw a line in the sand and say, "I WILL NOT WORRY ABOUT THE THINGS IN WHICH I CANNOT CONTROL."

I'll be praying for you sweet friend...as you work on this new condition.

Kim~

Angela Baylis said...

I SOOOOO loved this post, Kelley! I couldn't agree with you more. I will join you in giving it all back to God starting right this minute!
Thank you for blessing me everyday, especially today!
Love,
Angie xoxo

Jenny said...

I have that condition too! I am going to have to try this, I have got to do something or I am going to be crazier than my normal crazy!

I can't wait for the She Speaks!

Have a great day,
Jen

Amy said...

Well now I know the medical term for my suffering, Marthaplexy; it's as painful as it sounds too.:)

It is so hard to turn off all of the other voices in my head, and focus on the Only Voice that matters.

Like you, I am working on my "condition." Daily.

Great post, Kelley!
God Bless,
Amy:)

Kristen said...

Kelley... I used to suffer from Marthaplexey too! Well, I still suffer from it, but maybe not as much now! I think the older I get the more I relax! ha ha - that, or I just don't see the dust as well as I did a few years ago. Seriously... I did have to resolve that I could not clean the house, make a living and worry about all of the problems in the world at the same time. Man... was I trying to be as big as God? Fortunately, He has taught me to rest at His feet and He will guide the day for me!

Yes, this is the day that the Lord has made (and it's not July 4th - note to store chains ha ha) Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Susan said...

This was great, and yes, I'm suffering from this disease too...

Let's pray and encourage each other OK?

I've been worrying about my son in Taiwan. He told me "mom, relax, I'm going to be OK". Well, not only is he 10,000 miles away, 12 time zones, but he bought a scooter and I want him to wear his helmet! OK, you can see I need to be delivered!

You are precious Kelly. I love coming by!!

Blessings to you my friend♥

Joyful said...

Excellent post Kelley.

Funny, as I was just doing my "Martha" thing in the kitchen - had to bake for tomorrow's Bible study - (and you know how much I must have been enjoying that...NOT), I was thinking how certain things in my life are stealing my time. Good things...but still, they are taking me away from more time at God's feet and with my family. I do start my day at 6am in God's Word, but still I often have to rush away while He's still speaking to my heart with the intention of returning at some point later on, but between the tyranny of the urgent and poor choices on my part, I don't find myself returning to sit at His feet until the next morning. This post has confirmed to me that changes need to be made. Unfortunately, I think one of those changes will involve my time at the computer and I'll miss the connection that this has provided. Sunday I didn't touch my laptop all day (I did answer some e-mails on my other computer), and what a difference it made in my day with my family. I think some healthy boundaries need to be drawn. Thank you for this timely message.

Hope you've had a good day,
Love & prayers,
Joy

Jamie said...

Great post, Kelley! I too am a Marthaplexy sufferer. Thanks so much for sharing. This encouraged my heart today.

Vhiel said...

just browsing around and leaving my mark.

vhiel
Designs By Vhiel

Yolanda said...

Kelley,

I loved the list of things we can't control that we, SIESTA'S, including myself sure do try to manipulate/dictate. PRAISE GOD!

Only our relationship with Christ.

Lovingly,
Yolanda

Christina said...

I think I have this too. It's funny there is a name for it. Who would of thunk. I have read over the prescription and now all I need is to follow it.

I have been without internet for over 2 weeks but it is nice to be back.