The Burdens That We Bear

I am sometimes a little amazed that some people seem to think that because we profess to be a Christian - a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ - that automatically equates to never getting upset, never murmuring, never complaining, never getting angry, never getting frustrated, never having to face heartaches and disappointments, and perhaps, some even think that Christians never shed any tears or have any sleepless nights. The reality of the matter is that nothing could be further from the truth.

Are we not all mortals? Do we not at times feel pain, suffering, frustration, remorse, anger, and the agony of defeats as well as the joy of victories in our lives? Does Christ not know the burdens that we bear and the feelings and emotions that sometimes accompany those burdens? Indeed He does. And He has promised us, just as He did the Apostle Paul in his time of affliction, that His grace is sufficient and that He will never give us any more than we can possibly bear.

The Scriptures tell us that Jesus wept (see John 11:35). The Scriptures also teach us that He got angry. See Him in the Temple as He overturns the tables of the money changers because they were turning the Sacred House of the Lord into a den a thieves when they should have revered it as a place that had been consecrated and set apart as Holiness unto the Lord – a place of order, a place of prayer (see Matthew 21:13; Mark 11:17; Luke 19:46). Come now to the garden of Gethsemane and see Him as He kneels in prayer throughout the night interceding on our behalf. Hear Him as He earnestly communes with the Father and asks that if it be the Father’s will that He would take the bitter cup from Him. Hear Him still in that same Divine conversation as He relinquishes His own will and yields totally and completely to the will of His Father (see Luke 22:42).

This life is a test that is filled with challenges and obstacles that we must face and overcome along the way. But, we need not face those obstacles and challenges alone. In times of distress and trouble the Savior bids us to come unto Him and He will give us rest for our weary souls.

During His earthly ministry as both God and man He felt of the same emotions that we sometimes experience. The main difference is that even though He may have had those same feelings and emotions, He was able to press forward at all times and do the will of His Father who had sent Him - praying in earnest, "Father, not my will, but thy will be done". We, as mortals, on the other hand, often feel inadequate, too tired, or just plain defeated in our struggles, and so it becomes easier for us at times to just give in and give up believing that our burdens are just too much to bear. However, we should take heart in knowing that He is our Great Burden Bearer. When the weight of the world presses down heavy upon our shoulders, He is right there to lift us up and to make our load easier to bear. Listen closely now as He bids us, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (see Matthew 11:28-30).

I do not mean to come across as being callous, cruel, or mean-spirited, but the older I get, the more discouraged and dishearten I become as I watch some of our young people - the future of our world, place themselves in a proverbial box called defeatism. Unquestionably, some of us have grown up in unfavorable conditions and in an unkind society that constantly reminds us, and in some cases has thoroughly convinced us, that our father never amounted to much, and our mother has never amounted to much, and so, as the proverbial apple never seems to fall far from the tree, we ourselves can expect to never amount to much either. The tragedy of it all is that society is not alone in painting this picture of hopelessness and despair, but that same picture hangs on the walls in our homes, as well as, in the classrooms of our schools.

I wish to send a very clear, precise, and concise message to our youth of today: the time has come for you to stop wallowing in the mud of hopelessness and slowly drowning yourselves in the sea called despair. Now is the time to break free from that proverbial box that you have found yourselves in, and from the strangling chords of the voices of naysayers who preach negativism and defeatism. Rise above your current station in life. You can if you believe that you can!

Maybe it is true that your father and mother have never done anything to make an honorable name for themselves, or have ever tried to get out of their current situations and better themselves. Maybe it is true that you were born in unfavorable and adverse conditions. Maybe it is true that all of your young life people have done nothing but knock you down and kick you while you were down. However, it does not have to stay that way. Though the night may seem dark and dreary, nighttime only last for a season and then the morning comes. And with the dawning of the morning comes a light of hope that shines bright as the noon day sun.

Now is the time for you to start realizing that you are not your father and you are not your mother. God Almighty has made each of us uniquely YOU. He has meted to you and me a measure of faith, hope, courage, talents, and abilities. It is time for you to put behind you those things that once were, and press forward to obtain those things that can, and (with faith, hope, patience, determination, and endurance) will be. Stop listening to the perpetual lies of those who do not have your best interest at heart, and start believing in yourself. You can do whatever it is you have a mind to do, and you can become whatever it is that you have a desire to become in life, but YOU have to believe that you can do it. If you cannot believe in yourselves, how can you honestly expect anyone else to?

Do not become discouraged if at first you do not succeed at doing something, but try and try again knowing that the road to success is often filled with potholes called failure. Many a success in life has been wrought through heartache and failure, so don't let that stop you. Even along the road of success will be hurdles and discouragement which you will have to get over, but don't let that stop you either. Continue to run your race with your head held high and a song of hope and gladness in your heart. You may not be the first to cross the finishing line, but then the winner of a race is not always necessarily the swiftest runner in the race, but he who runs his race well by remaining focused, staying his course, and enduring to the end.

There will be times along the way when you may become weary. Stop and rest for a little while if you must, but don't give up, give in, or quit. Remain focused on your goals and objectives. The finishing line is just in sight. You can make it. Yes you can! May God give you the hope, courage, faith, and determination to endure to the end. God bless you all!