So today's topic is a difficult one for me because most of the time, I feel like the biggest offender. It comes from Galatians 6:2 which says "Carry one another's burdens ; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Now I am ALL about praying for my friends, family, and even strangers. I love to pray for people because it makes me feel that much more invested in their lives. It's almost like I can see the things God is going to do through them when they overcome certain obstacles, which gets me majorly pumped up. Now i'm not saying it's a bad thing to help carry the burdens of another person, but that is what it should simply be. Helping. Not carrying it by yourself. Now I seem to go through this, and hopefully i'm not the only one, but I tend to take people's burdens upon myself. Why would I do that when I have the most strong and loving Father ever who says if we lay our burdens at His feet, HE will carry them for us? Well because i'm human and as a human sometimes we think we need to show off for God and let Him know we can take care of things ourselves so that He can be proud of us. The reality is, if we spent less time trying to impress God with our meek, human strength, then we would have more time to bask in His presence and hear from His glorious voice what plans He has for us. So if you're struggling by taking on other people's burdens, remember we can share them with God and let him fully take over because when He went to the cross, He made it clear that it was and IS finished so there is no need to compete with your flesh. Similarly related to this topic, we are called to share our own burdens with God and our fellow believers. Now this is yet another thing I struggle with. I feel so bothersome when it comes to my problems because I figure there are people with lives that are worse off than mine so what right do I have to feel burdened? Right? Right and wrong. While it is a good thing to notice how blessed you are, it's okay to admit your requests to God and your friends so they can make sure you're not carrying it on your own. IT'S OKAY TO ASK FOR HELP. If you feel like a bother, that is a lie from the devil to try and get you to wallow in your own sadness and a lie to try and keep you from God's healing. When you feel burdened, run as fast as you can to the foot of the cross and lay down your burdens. You will feel much lighter and when you ask for the council from your friends God will speak through them to uniquely edify and uplift you in ways you'd never receive had you not asked for help. Carrying one another's burdens involves genuinely caring for someone so when you do so, you get little tastes of what the cross felt like to Jesus. He carried the biggest burdens on the cross and died for them! As He's rose again, so shall our burdens rise off of our shoulder's and into the arms of our Greatest Comforter.
Jeremiah 29:14 I will be found by you"- this is the Lord's declaration-"and i will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and places where I banished you"- this is the Lord's declaration. "I will restore you to the place I deported you from."
Throughout our lives, God takes us out of places and a lot of times it is out of our comfort zone. The places may be physical buildings but they aren't always. It may be a church family, relationship, romantic or friendly, or maybe it's a literal place like a city, state, or country. From personal experience, I know it can be a very scary thing. Having to meet new people, get involved in different situations, and the always present question "Well what if it doesn't work out?" God tells us that we need not fear because His perfect plan ALWAYS prevails and He wants nothing else than to see His will be done in and throughout our lives. When we are called to a new place, there is bound to be trial and error, BUT if we cling to the cross during this process we will see immense growth and experience things we would not have experienced having not listened to where He called. The new people we meet will be able to offer things that past people may have not been able to offer. New locations offer new opportunities, which means more chances for kingdom spreading. When given new areas to reside in, we almost always find new lives to share the Glory and Love of God with. In some circumstances, relationship wise, we are called away to avoid being hurt or to avoid going down an unhealthy road. Though our flesh may fight and plead for the person we crave, God is on the other side pleading we give of ourselves wholeheartedly to Him before even thinking about giving it away to another. He calls us away often to protect our purity and to guard our hearts from any damage we may experience, even if it may not be purposefully hurtful. We need not to search for love when we feel alone but to embrace love when the situation presenting itself is a selfless love that comes from The Father. An agape love, not merely a phileo love. When we understand this Agape love that our Father has for us, we will begin to understand why He calls us where He calls us, and that my friends is a glorious day. I can tell you from first hand, I've been called out and called away from many "places" and seeing the growth that comes along with it just makes me fall even deeper in love with My Father. If you're facing a situation where you feel like you are lost and are being called out or away from a circumstance, run to God, pray for an answer and seek out His word, and in His perfect timing, He will give you an answer. He will use your deportation for your restoration. |