Hammer on Anvil '

Heavy burdens. We are all called upon to carry them at different times in our lives. What may seem like a light burden to us may seem like a crushing one to others. And what we might deem a crushing burden may have others scratching their heads and saying, "What's the big deal?"

One of the most solid and steadfastly faithful people I know is Scott. He and his wife, Jodie, have a teenaged son who has had cerebral palsy from birth. Scott, though fairly small in stature, has to lift Connor and carry him around. He takes him to school and to regular doctor appointments. I get worn out caring for my two preschool-aged granddaughters four days a week; I can't imagine how exhausted Scott and Jodie must be after working their jobs and doing all the other things they do to care for Connor on a daily basis. Scott's daughter, Lindsay, shot some video that shows what an average day is like for their family. Grab the tissues before you watch.



I wanted to share this video because it really helps me put my life in perspective, and I'm hoping it will do the same for you. When you feel like the earth is opening up and swallowing you, and you are tempted to despair because your stress level has hit maximum, remember Proverbs 18:10: "The name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to Him and are safe." When you run to the Lord and find shelter in His presence, He will help you put your circumstances in perspective. You may see, as I have numerous times, that your "trials" aren't so bad after all.

We have a dear friend who is only in her 30s and is fighting breast cancer. A friend of our niece's is barely 40 and has been diagnosed with stage four colorectal cancer. Besides these situations that are very close to home, I try to remember and intercede for world concerns: our president and others who lead our country; young children being forced into sex trafficking; survivors of terrorist attacks like the one in Boston last week; Christians who are being persecuted and tortured and killed for their faith; young kids in inner city neighborhoods who are left to fend for themselves and end up in gangs; children who are physically and verbally and sexually abused. The list goes on and on.

Proverbs 17:22 says, "A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." By now you might be thinking, How am I supposed to have a joyful heart when you just mentioned all these horrible things that happen in the world? Excellent question. The answer is that when you truly intercede and gain the mind of Christ about the ones for whom you pray, He will take the burden and help you carry it. That's precisely what Matthew 11:29-30 means. Verse 28 is familiar to most of us, how we need to come to Jesus if we are burdened, and He will give us rest. But it's not complete without the next two verses: "Take My yoke upon you. Let Me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light."

See, it's not us carrying the burden alone. A yoke is meant for TWO. One ox wouldn't be able to carry a yoke without the other ox. In the same way, we are not meant to carry burdens without being yoked to Jesus. If the weight you carry seems more than you can bear, it is probably because you haven't yoked yourself to Jesus.

If you are feeling particularly burdened right now, dear friends, cast your cares upon the Lord. He really does care for you (1 Peter 5:7).  And if you have a burden you would like to share with me, feel free to do so. I would love to pray with and for you.