Overcoming Heaviness

"Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame and has sat down at the right hand of God's throne."
Hebrews 12:1-2

For the last three months, burdens have weighed me down. My nature is to help people and solve problems; and my natural personality is to worry and become anxious. The heaviness causes me to lose focus on the positives surrounding me and I begin to feel out of control. So the first thought that jumps at me from this scripture is to "lay aside every weight" ... To give up control... To know that Jesus Christ bears my burdens... I need to be reminded of this regularly; it is an ongoing struggle in my life.

As the heaviness of burdens overwhelm me, the word JOY leaps out. Jesus Christ endured the ultimate suffering on the cross, and He did it with joy. I've been looking at prayer a lot recently, and I've studied the prayer of Jesus at Gethsemane just before Judas betrayed Him. Overcome with sorrow and the heaviness of the burden He was carrying, Jesus asked God to take it away. This is so familiar to me! But Jesus knew he had to endure the pain to fulfill God's plan so He ends the prayer with "Yet not as I will, but as You will." How difficult that must have been for Him to say. How difficult that is for me to say in my own prayer life when I'm begging God to change my circumstances! I've been challenged recently to use this phrase in my prayer life to turn my attitude toward God's will, away from my own will, and to find joy in heartache.

Recently I have been encouraged by fellow believers. These are people that don't know me, but I see love in their actions. Even though I haven't shared what's on my heart, they have asked how I'm doing and wait to actually hear an answer. They've prayed for me and with me. And I've been pushed out of my comfort zone more than once in recent months. I thank God for them. I watch in amazement as God performs miracles in each of their lives and I desire to be a part of it. It is such an encouragement to be surrounded by "a large cloud of witnesses"; it's something I've been missing for a very long time.

After laying aside the weights, focusing on the joy of fulfilling God's will for my life, and leaning on the cloud of witnesses surrounding me, I will be able to "run with endurance the race."

I'm definitely not perfect, but I strive towards the perfection of Christ every day. These verses tell me how to overcome the heaviness of the burdens that sometimes paralyze me. Hopefully, I can use even the difficult circumstances to bring glory to God.

Where's Jesus?

"You will call to Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:12-13

These verses were emailed to me by a friend this morning. I liked them so I posted them on facebook.

Then I started thinking... Search for Jesus. How? With child-like enthusiasm!

When we were kids we used to get those Highlight magazines full of activities. Hidden pictures was always a big favorite. It's self explanatory; you had to find the hidden objects in the picture.

Or maybe you were a child who loved 'Where's Waldo?'

The minor league baseball team here in town started a new game this year between innings of 'Where's Waldo?' Excitedly everyone searches the stands to be the first to find the silly guy dressed in red and white stripes.

Screaming, "There he is!" you start pointing.

There's Waldo sitting in the open (not hiding in the bathroom) waiting for you to find him.

Jesus isn't hiding either. He may be sitting right next to you. He may be the guy in line behind you to get a ballpark hot dog. But if you aren't looking, you won't find Him.

If you are enthusiastically searching to find Jesus today, you will. I'm kind of excited for the challenge, much like I was when the new Highlight magazine arrived in the mail.