What do you carry daily?

Many people are familiar with the scripture Matthew 11:29-30 which says, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

The purpose of this scripture is to remind us that we are not supposed to carry things in our minds, hearts and souls that can burden us or weigh us down.

When things have gone really awry or have piled up on me, I have often heard this scripture shared in some way or another. During those times, it has helped tremendously to remember that Jesus was there to take that burden and allow me to rest in Him.

But it wasn’t until this past Sunday that I heard the scripture in another way.

The message was: “lay down anything that does not benefit you”.

DAILY do an inventory and ask yourself, what I am I carrying with me today that is adding weight to me instead of lifting me up?

At first, this was hard for me to grapple.

I mean I know my life isn’t perfect (whose life is???) but I did not consider that I am carrying around burdens daily that weigh me down and prevent me from having all that God has in store for me.

As the message went on, it made better sense. Daily burdens do not always have to be heavy, massive burdens like grief from the loss of a loved one or unforgiveness or a sin that is a part of your daily life.

Burdens can be anything that hinder your mind from being completely focused on the promises of God. They can be negative, fearful, anxious or worrisome thoughts that start in your mind top of the day and, if not casted out, will stay there.

Wow, that really stopped me in my tracks. I had a visual in my mind of all the things I pile up in the morning that adds to the invisible backpack I carry around, and add to, each and every day.

Things like hurriedness, anxiety, stress and impatience. And that was added to my backpack before I left the house!!

I don’t want you to imagine that I am running around like a chicken with its head cut off in the morning, frantic and out of control. That is quite the contrary. In fact, I pack my things the night before, get up in plenty of time to make breakfast, get the kids ready and am out the door with “ease” at 6:30 AM.

But, no matter how smooth the morning goes, I will undoubtedly begin thinking about traffic for my morning commute, if the kids are going to remember all they have to do that day and where to go after school and how I need to get them home at a certain time in order to have dinner, showers and homework done by 8:30 that night.

So some of you reading this will say, what’s wrong with thinking about all of that? That’s life right? Planning ahead and being responsible, proactive.

Hear me out, there is NOTHING wrong with being organized and thinking/planning ahead.

What I am speaking about, it is the anxiety and the worry that I allow myself to feel when I am in this state of “planning.”

That is the state where we have an opportunity to take a deep breath and ask Jesus to take over and calm our minds and hearts and rest in Him, KNOWING that everything that needs to happen, will.

I do not think Jesus intended this scripture to serve us only when our burden is so heavy that we can no longer stand. It certainly serves that purpose when we are heavy laden and burdened. But I think He also wants us to call out to him daily and ask Him to carry ANY and EVERY burden that we are intentionally or unintentionally carrying before we are weighed down.

I am excited to start this daily ask and prayer of Him, and I am expecting that as I rid myself of this useless backpack I have been carrying around for so long, my attitude and daily walk to be elevated to new heights!

~RS~