A few nights ago, I was scrolling through Pinterest before going to sleep. My first few weeks back in school have consisted of studying, going to class, and studying some more, and this particular night I was feeling
especially overwhelmed with everything I needed to do. And so I got on Pinterest and just typed what I wanted to find: “rest.”
First of all, you might be thinking, “Why didn’t you first go to your Bible?” The truth is, I just didn’t. I believe God works and speaks in many different ways, and that night I was tired, I was worn, and I wanted to be able to quickly find multiple verses specific to what I was looking for. I know rest is found in God alone, but in that moment I needed reassurance…and that’s when I saw this:
“Lay it down before you fall down.”
If you’re anything like me, you constantly pick up too many things at once. It’s like my life is a constant “I can get all the groceries in one trip,” except instead of groceries it’s trying to manage class and homework and studying and friends and family and church and this and that…
The problem with me, and maybe you, doing this is that we were never meant to live this way. We were never designed to carry everything all at once or all by ourselves.
We were made with a God-sized hole that only He can fit. We were made in his perfect image, and that image involves us relying on him because He cares so deeply for us that he wants to help us carry our load. And more than that, God is offering to be our strength and our protector and our load-bearer because He knows.
He knows exactly what we’re dealing with. He knows of our tendency to want to fix things ourselves. He knows the instant we become overwhelmed with what is going on in our life. He knows that the reason we become overwhelmed is sometimes because of our desire to do things on our own. And he knows we can’t keep living like this.
God is sovereign. He knows where you’ve been, where you are, and where you’re going. When we try to take that control and manage everything on our own, we are picking up a load that was never meant to be ours. And if we hold it too long, we will be crushed under the weight of it. So what should we do?
“Lay it down before you fall down.”
If you’re stressed about something, take it to God. If you’re anxious about an upcoming exam (school or health), go to God and tell Him that. If you are drowning in uncertainties, pray about what you’re feeling.
If you are tired of doing everything by yourself, give control back up to the One who rightfully owns it.
Don’t pick up more than you were meant to carry. Stop trying to handle things on your own, because God is right beside you, waiting to free you of the weight you have chosen to carry on your shoulders.
God is so good that He is willing to carry that weight, that He wants to carry that weight for you and for me. But in order for him to pick it up, we have to lay it down.
My prayer for you is that if you struggle with “laying it down” –whatever ‘it’ is– that you would come to find rest in the One who so desperately wants to love and support you. I’ve once again been reminded that nothing is stronger, nothing is more powerful, and nothing will make you feel as free as the moment you lay down your struggle and let God be God.
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 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 to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” -Matthew 11: 28-30
留言