Tag:

Burdens

Stress

by TerryLema

I found a book on my two auto-immune diseases (polymyalgia rheumatica PMR, and giant cell arteritis GCA). It was written by the head of the PMR & GCA foundation in Great Britain, a PMR survivor, in conjunction with a number of specialists. I skimmed the book yesterday and will go back and re-read more thoroughly. I must say, it was the most impressive information I have seen in one place since my diagnosis.  I think I will learn a lot!

The one thing that caught my eye as I was skimming through the chapters was information on stress. Apparently, stress makes PMR and GCA worse. The suggestion was to eliminate or control stress to reduce the pain and flares.

I did not actually laugh out loud, but I came close! Eliminate stress! That refrain is all around us, and it is easier to recommend than to do. The pain, fatigue, and stiffness of the diseases, accompanied by the side effects of the only medication that seems to work to fight them are sources of stress themselves.

While thinking about that, I was also bombarded with the mistaken notion that Christians never have stress since we have given all our cares over to the LORD.

Christians do have a resource for their stress that other do not. But part of maturing spiritually is to learn how to cast all our stress, burdens, and cares upon Him. We strive to avail ourselves of His resources through the power of the Holy Spirit, but like much of Christianity, it is a learning process. I am working at it but have not yet achieved perfection! Thankfully, He keeps reminding me to give it all to Him.

Psalm 55:22: “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.”

1 Peter 5:7: “Casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you.”

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Reaching out

by TerryLema

We are not meant to do this walk of faith alone. We need each other. In fact, Paul wrote specifically to the Galatians that we are to help shoulder the burdens of others and that by doing so we will fulfill the law of Christ.

“Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” [Galatians 6:2 HCSB]

This is particularly difficult to do this year as 2020 is a year of isolation.  Yet precisely because it is, we need to make the extra effort to check in on each other and keep the lines of communication open. But there is another side to this verse, and that is that the ones with burdens have a responsibility also.

When burdened we often draw away from others. We cease meeting with people, we back away from gatherings or routines that once marked our walk with Christ. Maybe we think no one will understand. Maybe it just takes too much effort.

As a pastor I have often seen people experiencing difficulties, and I have seen them stop coming to church and stop contacting others. It is a trick of the devil to get us alone, to make us shoulder our burdens by ourselves, to keep us from help.

So if you are burdened, reach out. Do not try to go it alone. And do not expect others to always seek you out. Make the effort to find the ones who will help you carry your burdens.

Hebrews 10:24-25: “And let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works,  not staying away from our worship meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”  [HCSB]

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Fulfill the Law of Christ …

by TerryLema

I am overwhelmed this morning with the goodness of God. How often we say, “God is good.” When we say that someone often provides the response, “All the Time.”  Yes, “All the Time,” our “God is good!”

God is so good all the time that we often grow insensitive to it. We fail to recognize the goodness of God daily; we also fail to thank Him for it.

I woke up in the middle of the night overwhelmed by God’s goodness, this time in a particular area of my life. I have carried a burden … not anything to do with ministry or health … and one not shared with anyone else. This was one of those unexpressed burdens deep in my heart. It often rose to make its presence known, trying to steal my peace. I found it draining my soul of joy and making my way just a little more difficult.

Then suddenly, God brought someone with an answer and just … like … that … the burden was shifted from my shoulders to those of another willing and able to carry it. My worry was replaced with relief, the joy returned, and I took a deep breath of freedom for the first time in years.

As I thought about those things in the middle of the night, I wept and thanked God. I thanked God for His goodness, and I thanked God for the one who conveyed that goodness to me.

“Hallelujah! Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His faithful love endures forever.” [Psalm 106:1 HCSB]

“Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” [Galatians 6:2 HCSB]

Thank you, Father God. Bless all those who willingly convey Your goodness to us. Amen.

 

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