During the boys’ naptime and my daughter’s rest time, I called and chatted for a bit with my husband. After I hung up, I sat down in my chair and felt absolutely weighted down. I wanted to write a post and get a couple other computer tasks checked off my to-do list while the house was quiet, but I was so bogged down by the thoughts of everything I was trying to balance that I couldn’t type a single word that made any sense or place the order I needed to get in.
I’m sure many if not all of you have been there before.
There are so many pressures that weigh on us.
The pressure of maintaining and growing a marriage. Whether the everyday living with a spouse who does things a little differently than you or the marriage that is hanging on by a thread, there is always work to be done on a marriage.
The pressure of raising our children. You and I both know everyone has an opinion on the “right” way to parent not to mention the pressure we put on ourselves to be perfect parents.
The pressure of school. It doesn’t matter if you homeschool or send your child to a school, school comes with challenges.
And if those pressures aren’t enough to weigh us down, we have the other responsibilities of life: housework, ministry, chauffeuring, commitments.
Then there are those things that really weigh on our hearts like a dear friend’s prayer request, grief over the loss of a loved one, strained relationships, a medical diagnosis, or ______________ (You can fill in the blank.)
All in all, the weight on our shoulders can be enough to stop us dead in our tracks and make us ineffective in nearly every area of our lives. If we continue to hang on to the weight, it can have severe emotional, spiritual, and physical consequences.
But we weren’t ever meant to carry the weight of the world on our shoulders.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I (Jesus) have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)
Who do you think is trying to weigh you down and render you ineffective in this life? You can be sure that comes from the thief, Satan.
But life comes from Jesus.
Psalm 55:22 says, “Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you, he will never let the righteous be shaken.”
We can throw all that weight—every little thing that tugs at our hearts—on the Lord, and He will uphold hold me. He will not let us fall under the weight of it if we will give it to him.
Today I’d like to challenge you to sit at the feet of Jesus and toss every concern, fear, responsibility, and pressure that is weighing on your heart to him. Let him take them off your shoulders. Let him be the one who sustains you. And if you feel the weight start to come back, think of the childhood game of Hot Potato, and toss them to the Lord before they start to weigh you down again. Don’t let the enemy weigh you down when the Author of Life is waiting to take your burdens.
This. So much this. As a mom, the pressures and the joys and the elusive balance in between are never-ending. Thank you for your encouragement, Amy. I’ve been there.