Ok, it is well after Thanksgiving turkey season and old man jelly belly has had his fix too! Now we are being bombarded with the media telling us we need to lose weight. New studies have found that the U.S. is the most overweight nation in the world. Last night as I was standing in line at the grocery store, I could not help but notice the magazine covers. Every one of them had a weight loss recipe or gimmick for the New Year.
Well, I am not going to elaborate much on New Years resolutions pertaining to weight control. After all, much like a dear friend in Oklahoma whose family calls her “fluffy,” I too could stand to lose a little weight from the holiday celebrations. Even though we should all be concerned about obesity, today I am more concerned about the spiritual obesity that has struck this world we live in.
Just as God never intended us to carry around a lot of extra body weight, He also never intended us to carry the weight and the burdens of this world. We are not designed, nor are we capable of doing so without causing great harm to our selves. Many of our physical ailments are caused by our spiritual incapability of carrying our own burdens.
Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light
(Matthew 11: 29-30).”
He knew that men carried way to many burdens upon themselves. We all know people who we might classify as worry warts. They are the type of people who worry if they have nothing to worry about. I would have to say that I have spent two-thirds of my life worrying about unnecessary things in which I have no control over. Those who know me now have decided I live in a world of denial. It is not that at all. The fact is I have learned to take the weight of my problems and put them on His shoulders. If Christ (who died on the cross for me) was capable of carrying all the weight of this world upon His shoulders, I know that He can carry me and you.
In reality, we do not think He is capable, so when we pray and release our burdens to God we tend to take them all back before getting up off our knees. Oh dear one, God is more than capable to care for us and to carry the weight of our burdens. Oh that we might release all our cares to God and find rest for our souls! Daily I pray this, for daily I have ample opportunities to experience unrest in my soul. But I have learned in whom I have comfort. I am reminded of a chorus to an old hymn as I am writing this. So in closing may the words touch you and enable you to let your burdens go. Let the weight of this world fall from your shoulders and onto His. Start your weight loss program today!
I Must Tell Jesus
I must tell
All of my troubles
I cannot bear
My burdens alone
I must tell Jesus
I must tell Jesus
Jesus can help me
Jesus alone.
