My heart is heavy tonight because several of my friends are coping with difficulties. Some of them have been diagnosed with cancer; others are staggering under the weight of grief; a few have strained family relationships and some are enduring financial hardships.
We all know the heartache of helping friends cope with difficult situations. We don’t like to watch our friends and family go through troubles. We want to fix everything for them. We draw close when they seek comfort from us. We stay away when they need to be alone. When they call us, we respond to their call. When they ask us to pray, we pray. We would never deny a loved one help, but sometimes the burdens weigh on us. Our human strength is not sufficient to carry the load of cares that are sometimes placed on our shoulders.
We need the shoulders of Christ to bear the load. Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
When we need to rest from our burdens, we can know that God calls us to place the load on His broad, strong shoulders. God has proven Himself reliable to the task of carrying our burdens, because Christ Jesus already bore the burden of our sin on the cross. He was “crushed for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:5), and He carried our sorrow. Yet even the weight of our sin could not conquer Him.
Through the power of the Holy Spirit, God raised Jesus from death to life. His resurrection life will never grow faint or weaken but will remain strong, almighty and eternal. The risen Lord can carry our burdens, and He invites us to unload them on Him.
“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens” (Psalm 68:19).
Denise Larson Cooper has a passion for Christ and sharing His Word. A wife and mother of two daughters, Denise currently works as a gymnastic coach.
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Godnesia: Keeping God in Mind Each Day http://amzn.to/2GSquOD
Ordinary Days With an Extraordinary Savior – http://amzn.to/2mFGASBLife Is a Metaphor: Recognizing God in the Everyday – http://amzn.to/2De1rU2