I’ve always been Martha.
And my Martha-ness comes out in its most extreme way often when I’m tired, at the end of the day and my husband calls it: “Em… you’re listing.”
Have you ever listed?
Your overwhelm has taken over to such a degree that all you can see around you are the things that aren’t complete, cleaned, or checked off. The list grows and before you know it, you’re knee-deep in critiquing not only the state of the cleanliness of the skirting board, but even the Puppy needs a groom, his ears cleaned and a complete overhaul of his diet. Nothing and no one is safe.
Do you know the feeling? A buzzing mind, a thousand tasks, and the anxious whisper that if you don’t make it happen, everything will collapse. The literal end of the world, at least in your living room.
Luke 10:38–42 captures this moment perfectly. Martha is busy with many tasks, while Mary sits at Jesus’ feet, fully present, listening. And then Jesus speaks, cutting right through the listing:
“Martha, Martha, 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.” Luke 10:41–42, NIV
Let’s unpack what it looks like to grow in this area—especially when overwhelm has a voice louder than God’s whisper.
1. From Listing to Listening
Overwhelm often makes us act as if we must fix everything right now. Martha’s many tasks are familiar to all of us. Growth begins by noticing the moments when our “to-do” list is louder than His voice—and intentionally choosing to pause, sit, and listen.
2. From Worry to Wonder
Listing comes from a place of fear and control: if I don’t do it, nothing will. Mary shows us another posture: curiosity before control. Instead of asking what must I do next?, we ask what is He saying to me right now? Wonder replaces worry, and presence replaces panic.
3. From Busyness to Alignment
The work itself is not wrong; the problem is when busyness becomes our priority instead of God. Growth is about aligning our tasks with His heart, letting Him reorder our priorities, and allowing His voice to guide our hands, even in the middle of a chaotic, noisy day.
So how do we grow again when it comes to listing vs listening?
From agendas to attentiveness: Begin by noticing when your “to-do list” competes with God’s whisper. Are you moving so fast you miss His voice?
From worry to wonder: Martha worried, Mary wondered. Curiosity before control is a spiritual discipline. Ask: What is He really saying? What does He really want me to see or hear today?
From busyness to presence: Practically, this may mean carving out intentional pauses, journaling, or simply sitting in silence with Jesus. Growth happens not by doing more for God but by listening more to God.
From obligation to invitation: Every task becomes a chance to respond, not to impress. Service rooted in listening carries more weight than service rooted in performance.
Jesus, I confess that I often bring You my lists, my agendas, and my urgent plans instead of my heart. Forgive me for the moments I’ve been too busy to listen. Help me today to sit at Your feet, to hear Your voice, and to receive Your guidance. Teach me to trade my worry for wonder, my control for trust, and my busyness for Your presence. Let my life reflect Mary’s choice: that I might choose what is better, and never lose it. Amen.
The call is simple but not easy: stop handing Jesus your list. Start opening your ears, your heart, your attention. Growth, transformation, and life that cannot be lost are found not in doing more, but in hearing Him more.
“Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (v.42b NIV)
Where today are you acting more like Martha than Mary? What is one thing you can do this week to sit, listen, and let God’s agenda shape yours?
If this resonated, share your “Mary moment” this week—how you’re choosing to listen rather than do. Let’s celebrate the small but significant ways God is shaping us from the inside out.
Cheering you on!
Em 💛
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This is a powerful and so-very-helpful piece from the always prescient Em Tyler. Amen, Em! Thank you. I'm totally stealing (I mean, uhm, borrowing) the "List-vs-Listen" bit!
So you've planted a camera in my home Em!! Fortunately I've become alert to the negativity of these behaviours and have learned to remind myself that most of the list is of no real significance!
Thanks for the nudge Em, a solid reminder to focus on my true priorities.