Everywhere I look there are people in pain. Unemployment is rising, along with credit card debt, foreclosures, homelessness and even suicide. Though we have a tendency to see this through an egocentric, American perspective, our economy has adversely affected the world’s economy. Back in the 1930’s when the collapse of the stock market led to the Great Depression, the economy of the United States was not tied as deeply into the economy of the world, but now, our bank failures, bailouts and bad decisions have caused a chain reaction. This month was a “barely” for me, as after paying rent, health insurance, car payment, utilities and the minimum on credit cards, there was a whopping $100 left over in my checking account. My initial reaction is, “What are You doing, God?”
That question has a good side and bad side. Obviously, the bad side is what right do I have to question God, who has promised that He will never leave nor forsake me? He feeds the birds of the air and clothes the flowers more ornately than King Solomon (Matthew 6:26), and loves me more! The good side of that question is if I am asking God what He is doing, then I am acknowledging that He is doing something! What is He doing?
Do we ever learn lessons when life is easy? I know that I don’t! Bill Gates said, “It’s fine to celebrate success but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure.” When the seas are calm and the wind is blowing, we cruise around the ocean gleefully. If you ever sail in a storm, though, you remember each mistake. Those lessons are as apparent in life as they are in the physical world. Take metallurgy, for example. When gold is heated, it becomes stronger through purification.
28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28
If you are the Lord’s then you shouldn’t feel heavily burdened. If you are sailing under your own power, you might feel the weight of the world on your shoulders. Yet the shoulders of Jesus already carried the burden of the world, when He suffered and died for us at the cross. Give Him the burden! Trust that He can handle it. It can be so difficult to hand off that difficulty to Him. I think of it as a relay race and I am running the anchor leg. Though I am in last place, far behind all of the other competitors, when I allow Jesus to help me, He will. I hand the baton to Jesus and He runs for me, past all the competition, past all the obstacles and to first place at the finish line. Amazingly, though, He holds onto us as He also carries the baton of burden. He is the wind in our sails. He is the author and finisher of our faith. Let Him finish for you.
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