I found this post I wrote but never published from about three years ago. As I read through it, it ministered to my soul in this current season I am in, with all it’s own unique burdens. While I look back and almost laugh a little at the burden I thought wedding planning was, I also find compassion for myself back then because, well, it was stressful. It was a lot. And the thing about life that I’ve realized more and more with each passing year is that whatever burden we are carrying in each season is difficult for us. Sure, it could always be worse. But we must find compassion for ourselves, we must be able to express ourselves, to share the concern of the burdens we are carrying and we must find a way to lay them all at the feet of the One who came to take them from us, to hold them for us, and to carry them for us until His Kingdom comes.
. . . . . . .
11.19.2015
In their song Cold is the Night the Oh Hellos sing,
“Take this burden away from me; bury it before it buries me.”
Guys, I have been feeling so burdened by this wedding. It know it sounds ridiculous. It’s just a wedding… But I have been so overwhelmed with all I have to do in such a short amount of time all the while balancing church, Bible studies, my job, my relationship with Clay, my role as a daughter, sister, and friend, and so much more.
Life. Sometimes it seems like it’s happening to us. Like we’re on some ride and we can’t get off. Like we’re sitting there looking around at the world passing by as we spin round and round in circles.
I was telling Clay how I felt the other night, and as I paused to pray, “Lord, we give this to you. Please take all of it.” As I spoke those words, and I had this vision of myself kneeling before God, offering up to him in my small hands all that I was carrying. He takes it. And I reach around to the backpack on my back full of so many other things I am carrying. And as I continue to pull them out one by one, I pictured God almost chuckling like, “More?! You have more? What is all that junk? Why are you carrying all that around, you silly child. Give it to me. Let me take this burden from you.”
As Clay told me goodnight at my car, he said, “Spend time with Jesus every morning. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, think of something you are grateful for.”
It’s funny cause I thought–well, actually I told him (it’s cheesy, I know, don’t judge!)–“I don’t have to look far.”
This man is so wise. I truly am so grateful for him. I know I haven’t been spending as much time with the Lord as is necessary for my soul. How can I possibly hand over my burdens to Him if I don’t come before Him?
I first recorded this song when Clay was on a mission trip in South Africa. The song seemed so applicable… “Cold is the night without you here.” But the song can mean so much more than that – if we aren’t meeting the Lord daily, if we aren’t seeking Him in the morning, then our day is going to turn into that crazy ride spinning us around and around. And the night? Well, it’s most certainly going to be cold.
But when we start off our day seeking God’s face, His truth, and His will? Well, that’s when we get to slow down the ride, to pause, to reflect, and to allow our hearts to be filled with gratitude for all He has given us… and that’s when we can say, “Take this burden.”
And that is when He will.
