What are you carrying?

Have you ever felt like the weight of the world is on your shoulders? Have you experienced pressure that makes you feel like your knees will literally buckle, or that you might lose your mind? Due to the pressures of home, work, relationships, lifestyle, debts, choices, etc., many of us live with these sorts of burdens for years. 

The Bible teaches us that we can exchange with our Lord and our God. My wife often quotes the scripture from Isaiah 61:3 that says "[God will] bestow on them [that grieve] a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair." This scripture teaches us that God loves us, and does not want us to remain in states of prolonged strain. Notice there cannot be an exchange if you have nothing to give. So, there will be times of carrying a heavy load. There will be times when you require rest due to the heavy-lifting of life. But those times may not have to last long. 

Why not?  There is Jesus who, in Matthew 11:29-30, says that we can exchange our burdens with him if we WORK and need rest and are heavy burdened. 28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”  Just for the record- I think he's a tad bit stronger than we are. ;-) Even here we see that Jesus expects us to work, even after the exchange. But, the expectation is that He will do the heavy work. We get His burden and His yoke. We still have to carry something, but there must be dependance on His strength.

So, why then do we Christians walk around with such heavy hearts? Why are we permitting ourselves to be so heavily burdened? I think that waiting on, and waiting of God's plans to be revealed to us is why we continue to carry the burdens. We don't seem to want to rely on Him. We want to carry the burdens ourselves. It's not until our knees, backs, and psyches are nearly broken that we turn to Him. 

I have no magical insight into how to prevent this. But, what I can tell you is that at the bottom of this issue is trust. Trusting in the Lord. Trusting that His plans are better than your plans. Trusting that His power is supreme. Trusting that His timing is perfect.  And, trusting that He has your best interest at heart.

Do you trust Him? Do you believe Him when He says He will give you beauty for your ashes? Do you trust that He will come through for you? Do you believe Him when He says you can exchange burdens with Him? Do you believe Him when He says that He will supply all of your needs according to His riches in glory? Do you believe Him? Do you trust Him?

If you believe Him, stop carrying that weight around and give it to Him. He can handle it. I'd much rather have a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. How about you?

Sis. Pinky's Prayer: Father, forgive us for taking upon yokes unnecessarily and allowing them to burden us. Forgive us for lacking faith and trust in your Supremacy. Help us to release those things that so easily weighs us down into Your hands. Thank you for the exchange that we can do with You; beauty for ashes,
oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. We love you, and we say this prayer in the magnificent name of Jesus. Amen!

We love you, and we are praying for you.

~Pastor Erroyl

SALT