The Lord said to her, "Martha, dear friend, you are so anxious over all these details. There is really only one thing worth being concerned about." (Luke 10:41)

When the Galilean ministry of Jesus drew to a close, he began his journey to Jerusalem. On the way, he and his disciples entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed them into her home. As Jesus began to speak, he captured the attention of Martha's sister Mary who sat at his feet listening.

Martha, on the other hand, was busily serving her family and house guests. In time she grew resentful and complained to Jesus. He recognized that Martha's sense of duty and responsibility had shuffled her priorities. In that moment, she had lost sight of what was truly important, the chance to spend precious time with her friend and teacher. Jesus reminded her tenderly. "Martha, dear friend, you are so anxious over all these details. There is really only one thing worth being concerned about and Mary has discovered it."

In our hectic world, we often find ourselves physically or mentally weary, not unlike Martha. We worry about things over which we have no control. We focus on details that have little or no impact. We rush from task to another, sometimes out of duty, more often out of habit or restless seeking.

Jesus calls us to care for family and friends, and to extend kindness to strangers. But when weariness weighs us down, resentment is sure to follow. Most often the feeling is directed at those we love most. At such times, we are wise to make a prayerful assessment of priorities. Sometimes weariness is the restraining hand of the Holy spirit urging us to spend more time at the feet of Jesus. With our spirits renewed, we can then stand strong against the inevitable crosswinds on our journey.