“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 ESV
Cold, icy rain sliced through the cloudy evening sky. Purse over my shoulder, umbrella in the hand of the arm holding my barely one-year-old little guy, and clutching tight to my older toddler’s hand, we tried to run-walk across the slippery parking lot to the main entry of the small local shopping mall.
We were halfway to the entrance when I stepped into a large, slick-as-ice puddle. Time-stopped, but I did not, as I fell forward in slow motion, pitching my youngest across the parking lot and dragging my eldest down behind me as I slid across the wet pavement. The purse and umbrella both took flight.
Painfully, I pulled my wet and muddied self back to my feet, scrambling to retrieve the baby, who was crying-screaming at the top of his little lungs. My oldest was back on his feet, dirty and wet from his parking lot slide, sobbing his little heart out. I joined the teary chorus as I tried to comfort them both while searching for my purse and the useless umbrella.
Our icy, wet, muddied little crew finally made it through the mall doors, and I could survey the extent of our damage. Blood ran down both legs. My coat and dress were wet and filthy. The parking lot had demolished my nylons and my knees—the source of the streaming blood. My little guys were bundled in well-padded snowsuits and showed no signs of injury. They were physically okay, badly shaken, scared, wet, and dirty.
As I stood there in the mall with my two precious sons, I felt like the weight of the world had crashed down on me. Nothing in my life felt like I thought it was supposed to.
Christmas was only days away, and there was no money for presents for our little guys, and certainly none for buying gifts for two bosses, neither of whom needed anything, but it was office protocol. They were great, and I was beyond grateful to have the job, even though working full-time away from my babies was the last thing on earth I wanted to do.
We lived halfway across the country from my family, in a state that felt more like a foreign land compared to Texas. My sweet man was immersed in his first semester of seminary and had started a job that worked with his class schedule, which meant working evenings and nights. Our moments together were almost non-existent. To top it all off, the cold, rainy weather was beyond depressing.
The circumstances of our lives weighed heavily on my heart and spirit.
When I read the words of Jesus in Luke 21:34, I think it speaks to the situation of my heart that day many years ago. Jesus was teaching in the temple. In the previous verses (21:25-33), Jesus taught and warned His listeners to be prepared and always on the lookout for the return of the Son of Man, who is the Great Redeemer of humankind.
“But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with… cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. – Luke 21:34 ESV
Jesus told His listeners, “Don’t let yourself become so weighed down with the distractions and cares of life that suddenly you find yourselves facing God unprepared, with nothing to show for your life.” Don’t fall into the trap of this world that will either enchant you with temporary, meaningless delights and false hopes or so deeply discourage you that your misery is all you can think about.
If you fall for the trap, it will take your eyes off of Jesus. You’ll find yourself focused on either self-centered joy-seeking or woe-filled self. Neither lifts the weight you carry.
David, King of Israel and beloved Psalmist, chronicled his struggles with sin, despair, and fear, and the times when he allowed his many problems to weigh him down and almost pull him under.
“For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me….Do not forsake me, O LORD! O my God, be not far from me! Make haste to help me, O LORD, my salvation!” Psalm 38:4, 21 ESV
I confess, I wasn’t focused on God during that long-ago disastrous outing. During that period, I frequently focused on my circumstances and emotional responses, rather than trusting God to carry my burdens. I tried to take on much more responsibility for managing my life and our family than God ever intended for me to do. Only when I was so deeply buried beneath weights that were not mine to carry, did I turn to God, who was waiting with arms outstretched, ready to take the load I had been foolishly carrying for far too long.
In Exodus (18:1-27), Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, met Moses in the wilderness to reunite Moses with his wife and two sons. While there, Jethro watched Moses lead, judge, and counsel the Israelites as problems and disputes arose. Then Jethro offered wise counsel to his son-in-law.
“You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone.” Exodus 18:18 ESV
“It’s too much, Moses. You can’t do this alone. It’s too heavy for you.”
God never intended for us to carry the weight of the world on our shoulders. There is no man or woman alive, or has ever lived, or will ever live, whose shoulders could come close to “big enough.” It is not ours to carry. It belongs to God.
Nor did God ever intend that we carry any weight in our own strength.
“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26 ESV
Here is the end of the story that began in the mall parking lot.
Once inside the mall, and after calming ourselves, I hurried the boys to the mall restroom. I wiped away the tears and cleaned the muddy, bloody mess as best I could. We found the plant shop I was looking for and purchased two small, inexpensive potted plants as gifts for my two bosses.
My meager gifts were graciously received the following day at the office Christmas party. Then I received a Christmas card from the two of them. There were kind and encouraging words from both. And there was a generous cash gift from the two of them that paid for our Christmas, groceries, and some bills. I was overwhelmed with gratitude.
The weight of my worries was never mine to carry. God was in control. He held our situation in His generous hands.
“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” – Psalm 73:26 ESV
“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” – Isaiah 12:2 ESV
Dear friend, are you burdened by the weight of problems, worries, and cares that are not yours to carry? God stands ready, arms wide open to carry your burdens and hold you close to His heart.