Burden

I was pedaling away today thinking of what to share with you...and one word came to mind.

Burden.

Burden is an emotion or a feeling that anyone can experience during their life.

Sometimes it can be a for a season, while there are others who may have felt it for longer than they can remember.

You see, the simplistic way that we look at burden I think sometimes, is that it is to be avoided at all costs.

Burden is Bad it seems.

That is because most of our experiences of it may have been negative.

People say that Jesus wants to lift our burdens from us.

I believe that is true.

But there is balance to this whole thing that I think we need to be aware of.

Most people think of or quote the following passage…

Matthew 11:28-29 niv

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 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.

It is true. Jesus wants to relieve us of our burdens.

Especially things that have been or are damaging us.

Wrong thinking, emotional scares, tainted memories, incorrect motives...and more all come under this area.

But listen to what he carries on to say…

Matthew 11:30 niv

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

There is a burden you are supposed to carry.

He has already hinted at it with talk of a yoke many times.

The key here is to know what that burden is and how to handle it.

I don’t have space in this simple thought to go into it in depth. But here are some ideas to consider.

Ideas for you to pray through and see if they relate to you or are a prompting specifically for you.

Jesus Burdens are something like this:

Burden to Love God

Burden to Love Everyone Else

Burden to make Good Choices

Burden to serve the Kingdom

Burden to live out the Call and Dream God has for each of us personally

Burden to Share our burden with others so we can do it together

That is just a broad and basic list.

Something for you to think about.

Please take some time today to review where you are at.

Review whether you have got this burden thing right.

Lay down what is not good.

Pick up what is God honouring.

And let us keep pressing into Jesus!

Something to think about…

encouragement ... Bible style

Do you need some encouragement today?

I am not cheating, but taking a different tack…

Tack a few moments and read these passages slowly and put yourself directly into them and them into you.

Be Encouraged!

Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.

Isaiah 41:10 fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

Deuteronomy 31:8 It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

Galatians 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Psalm 55:22 Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.

Philippians 4:6-7 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Something to think about…

Breakfast

I started out my day having breakfast with a good friend of mine.

It was warm. The coffee tasted nice.

And I got to enjoy some Eggs Benedict, which just so happens to be one of my favourites.

Nice way to start the day…

It made me think about how we start our day.

It seems to make such a difference.

If it starts well, some people believe that it will go well.

I wonder whether starting off with a better attitude helps you see your day differently?

Well that is my opinion….

A while ago now, Jesus took someone out for breakfast.

Well, that is stretching it a little. But He did go to the trouble of cooking up a nice meal for His friends,

especially a guy called Peter.

Peter’s last contact with Jesus was tainted by the fact that he denied even knowing Him. Not the best way to treat a friend who was about to be tortured and killed.

This same Jesus now wants to dine with him.

Maybe the big picture here is that starting your day right will make a difference.

Maybe you haven’t been as dramatic as Peter, but still have wandered away from this relationship?

Peter’s day certainly improved after encountering Jesus and spending some time with Him.

Maybe that could work for you as well?

Can I encourage you to meet with God in the morning in some meaningful way?

Say good morning to Him as you rise.

Grab some of His Word before you head out the door.

Share some of your heart with Him.

How you start the day can be really important...

Something to think about…

Please don't tell me...

It seems to me that there are some messages, teachings, instructions that we sometimes struggle to want to hear...and are in fact the most important to hear.

How often do you hear Christians say things like…?

“I will never trust that person again!”

“Don’t go to that place because of!...”

“I don’t want to have anything to do that person again!”

Even if you won’t admit it, I bet my last dollar you have said it or thought similar statements to these recently.

I have to admit to my shame, that I have...

Then someone comes along and tells you a whole lot on that forgiveness thing and you get annoyed.

I mean, how many times do I need to hear the same teaching?

Well I am sorry...but you and I need reminded of it until the day we die.

Forgiveness is not something for baby Christians or everyone else. It is not something you graduate past

after serving Jesus for a few years.

You are never above it or never better than it.

And it always works both ways...

I have learned that what Jesus said to be the most challenging and ultimately the most true.

When He said we need to forgive and keep on doing it even if it means doing it 70x7...He was right!

When He said that we will get the same as how we measure this out to others...He was right!

And when He said that fruit is a great indicator of something...again He was right!

If you look at a moment in time in your life and cringe, maybe there is a chance you haven’t let it go?

If you think of a person from your past and react inside, maybe there is a chance you have an issue with them?

It breaks my heart to see and hear people bound by events and people from their past.

Some 20 years later or more are still haunted by things.

Jesus gives us not the easiest antidote, but the best antidote...forgive!

Go on do it please again and again.

Forgive not because they deserve it, but because Jesus asks you to, and you will be set free from the bondage that otherwise sets in.

If you are finding it really hard to do this, contact someone like me who would count it an honour to help lead you through.

Forgive...and be FREE!

Something to think about…