| A Heavy Burden ~ July 7, 2008 | | Print | |
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~ You are welcome to forward this to others, please credit the author. ~ A Heavy Burden
by Deborah Beach Giordano
Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me — for I am gentle and compassionate — and you will find a resting place for your souls. For my yoke is a pleasant one, and my burden is light." These words are among the most well-known of Jesus’ many sayings — and certainly the most comforting. How soothing and reassuring to know that there is Someone to whom we can come: One who understands that we are tired, who realizes that we carry heavy burdens, and who offers us a place to rest. We all need such a place and such a Savior. Sometimes that need is clearer than others. Perhaps right now that need is crystal clear: perhaps right now your life is complicated — too complicated: with burdens and responsibilities, cares and concerns. Perhaps you feel lost, confused, fearful, overwhelmed — or just plain tired. Sometimes it can truly seem as if you are carrying "the weight of the world" on your shoulders, yet there is no where to turn, no one who can help, no solutions to the problems you face. The idea of a place of rest and renewal — where you really could set down the burdens that you carry ... could such a thing be possible? What would it be like, to hand these things over to Jesus Christ? Nonbelievers scorn at such a notion — and frankly, many Christians do, as well. It is true that the Lord doesn’t have a bank account: Jesus can’t write a check to cover the rent or buy groceries or fill up the gas tank. Despite our most sincere prayers, our friends and family may sicken and die, jobs are lost, relationships deteriorate, poor choices are made, tragedies occur. Our own health may fail, our hopes grow dim. What point is there in "giving these things to Jesus" if he can’t do anything about them? Maybe we should begin by recognizing that Jesus doesn’t offer to "mend" things: the Lord makes no claim to being some kind of supernatural Mr. Fix-It. Nor does he say he’ll take over — Jesus makes no offer to carry the burden instead of us. As a matter of fact, he appears to want to add to our load: he offers us his "yoke." A yoke is the heavy wooden or leather halter that is placed around the necks of farm animals when they plow the fields. I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t exactly sound like something I’d be the first to sign up for. But I wonder. Surely we’re already "yoked" — tied to our problems, bound to the obligations we’ve assumed, burdened by our desires, weighted down by our responsibilities and our own yearning to be Mr. (or Ms.) Fix-It. We want to cure every disease, feed all those who hunger, bring peace to our planet and healing to the earth. We want those we love to be healthy, wealthy, and wise. We want everything to be all right. Those are good and holy ideas well-worthy of our efforts and prayers. The problem arises when, beyond wanting everything to be all right, we take on the responsibility of making everything all right. Which, of course, we can’t do. That is a truly unbearable burden! Yet we carry it with us, far too often. The Lord teaches that we should set aside our self-imposed task of making everything all right. Or even of making just a few things "all right." Such a desire can only lead to sadness and disappointment. If, instead, we put on the yoke that Jesus offers — if we let His teachings guide us — we will find our burden much lighter. We are released from our impossible goals, and free to do what we can, following the path the Lord established. We are to love God, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. And that’s all. We don’t have to know everything; we don’t have to do everything, or fix everything. We don’t have to save every soul, heal every hurt, or feed all the hungry. Because we can’t. What we can do is live compassionately, forgive generously, love abundantly, and hope extravagantly. That is the wonderful "burden" our Lord asks us to accept. Virtual hugs and real-time blessings, Deborah + This Week’s Suggested Spiritual Exercise: Do you find yourself tempted to "make everything all right"? What happens when things don’t work out the way you’d like? Does it affect your attitude toward others, toward yourself, toward God? Do you find yourself tempted to "make everything all right"? What happens when things don’t work out the way you’d like? Does it affect your attitude toward others, toward yourself, toward God?
God grant me the serenity
Living one day at a time;
trusting that the Lord will make all things right "The Serenity Prayer" by Reinhold Niebuhr
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