throw it

I really feel like if you asked the average parent, worker, family, mom, dad, sister, aunt, uncle, grandparent about what it is like to carry the weight of the world on their shoulders they could probably tell you.

They would tell you that some days (maybe even months) it feels like the weight of the world is getting unbearable.  They could and would tell you that they lay awake at night crying because of the anxiety of the troubles of the world.  They could tell you of what it is like as a parent to see the horrific event like "Sandy Hook Elementary" happen and then not be able to sleep because of worrying about what if that happened to my child.  They could tell you about the stress of trying to balance work, paying bills, spending time with children, and trying to give spouse adequate time.  They could tell you about trying to figure out how they are going to pay for the ever increasing cost of higher education, because our children have to have it in order to survive. 

They could tell you what it is like trying to raise a Godly family in days that are tremendously ungodly.  They could tell you about trying to be strong for everyone when they feel weak enough to crumble.  They could tell you about not thinking they are going to be able to take another day, another phone call, another dispute, or another thing going wrong.

Wouldn't it be so refreshing to take all of that weight, to lift it up over your head, then go down into a squat and when you stand back up with all your might, and all that is within you to just chuck it.  I mean rare back and throw it as far away from you as you can.  Can you imagine that?  Can you imagine the way you would feel.  How great it would be to take every burden, every problem, every heartache,  and everything that you are carrying around as weight and just throw it as far as you can.  Man, I get a sense of relief just thinking about that.... do you?

Did you know that is what we are supposed to do...  check this out:

"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."  (1 Peter 5:7, NIV)

Cast all your anxiety, your cares, your problems, your heartaches, your weight on Him.  This verse is telling that Jesus said to take all these things and throw them on Him.  What would it be like for you and me to take all of this and throw it on the shoulders of the One who cares for us.  The one who sacrificed it all for us, is still saying "I will take more", "Give it to me, I can handle it".  The reason, He cares for you.  He loves you more than you could ever imagine.  He cares for you so much.  Jesus watches everyday as you and I bear the weight of the world on our shoulders, and He tells us day after day.... Give me that, Give me that, I will take it... Just toss it over here.

Why don't we?  Oh, there could be numerous reasons.  I would say one of the reasons is pride.  We think, I got this, I can handle this. 

I sincerely think that mostly you and I don't just because it's in our nature not to. 

Picture this, and tell me if this has happened to you.  The weight of the world finally gets so heavy that you finally give in and pray, "OK God I can't deal with this anymore, I can't deal with one more sleepless night, one more tension headache, or one more day of carrying this".  So you kneel or lay in prayer, crying, and ask God to take this great burden away from you, or you throw it at Him.  You feel this immediate sense of relief, so you get up from prayer.  However, as you walk away... yep you guessed it, you pick it right back up off Jesus' shoulders and carry it again.  You know it's true.

So we do this day after day, week after week, and year after year.

We walk around like the man in the picture, carrying the weight of the world on our shoulders and we begin thinking "there is nothing we can do to get out from it".

Yes, there is and His name is Jesus.  Trust Him.  He can handle the world, and YOUR world.

So throw it all at Him and let Him keep it, because He cares for you.

Chris