Saturday, September 15, 2018
Burdens That Weigh You Down
In His presence, Jesus offers release and refreshing to those who are tired and overburdened. When life becomes a struggle and dreaded, Jesus invites us to come into His presence and receive rest and refreshing.
When weighed down from care and responsibility, Jesus offers to give us a new life. He said, "Take the burden of responsibility I give you and thereby discover your life and your destiny" (Matthew 11:29 BCJ).
When we accept this offer, Jesus releases us from the burdens that have weighed us down. It is difficult to hear the will of God when we are burdened and overwhelmed with cares. It's difficult to hear anything in that situation!
God is not the One Who puts pressure on us. His yoke is easy and light. He is gentle and humble; not demanding or insistent. When we sense that tired, heavy-laden feeling beginning to weigh us down, we must reevaluate what we're doing.
We are often overburdened by things that God has not told us to do. Sometimes others impose responsibilities on us, other times it's our own false sense of responsibility that pressures us. You may possess the same false sense of responsibility that I once had that drove me to take on more than one person could possibly do. If so, accept the Lord's invitation to be released from false responsibility. He never uses guilt, condemnation, or pressure to motivate us.
Hebrews 4:15 says, "For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin" (NAS). Our High Priest understands our weaknesses. The Amplified Bible says "For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses."
Remember, He is willing to relate to us and permit us to learn at our own rate. God relates to us as individuals. He never compares our growth with Him to the progress of others—only people do that. His willingness to relate to us brings liberty and removes all competition.
In Second Corinthians 10:12 Paul warns us of the foolishness of comparing ourselves with one another. He said, "Of course we would not dare classify ourselves or compare ourselves with those who rate themselves so highly. How stupid they are! They make up their own standards to measure themselves by, and they judge themselves by their own standards!" (TEV).
The truth is, we all have strengths and weaknesses, yet we all have a portion to supply. There is no competition with the Lord. He permits us to learn at our own rate, and allows others the same privilege. There is no pressure to be or do something to win God's approval. His way is easy and light. The Lord never puts pressure on us to perform! Without the added stress of performance we're able to discover the destiny for our lives.
Jesus makes one simple request: "Come to Me!" When we come tired and burdened, He will relieve and refresh us. When we come heavy-laden and weary, He gives us rest. He gives us ease and blessed quiet.
2 Corinthians Chapter 10
King James Version (KJV)
10 Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:
2 But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
7 Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? if any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.
8 For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:
9 That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.
10 For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.
11 Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present.
12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
13 But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.
14 For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ:
15 Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men's labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,
16 To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand.
17 But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.