Lifting Heavy Weights

At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:25-30 ESV).

We are getting to the end of the construction process of our move back to Texas. And, the first week of November has been scheduled for the delivery of our stuff. While I am excited to get to be in our new home, and excited to be able to sleep in my own bed, I know the hard work that is yet to come. I have been involved in some of the construction in a physical way. That was demanding, but it will be nothing compared to what is still to come. It really is work to lift and carry box after box to whatever location is more convenient to unpack. That combined with the fact that I am not nearly as fit as I once might have been is a recipe for a sore back! While doing all this “lifting” will be good in the long run, that is not true in our emotional and spiritual lives. Carrying heavy burdens is never a wonderful experience. We were never meant to go through life with loads of worry, sin, and guilt dragging us down. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were heaping rule after rule on the people for them to follow in order to gain God’s favor. It was a tremendous burden for them. In contrast, Jesus invited them to believe in him to find relief from these burdens. Real acceptance from God eliminates the need to carry our burdens alone. Not only do we have Jesus to help us through every burden, we also have the community of faith. Our invitation is to “come.” When we accept Jesus, he lifts our sins, making us acceptable to a holy God. Along with removing our burdens, he invites us to learn from him. As we learn to trust him more, we will find that giving him our worries will come naturally. Heavy lifting is only good in the weight room. The more we trust Jesus, the lighter our loads become. What is your burden today? Let me suggest that you bring them to Jesus. Confide in a trusted friend or counselor who will be able to help you connect with the resources God has provided for you comfort.