Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Burdens



We all have burdens. Some are good and some need to be removed. A good kind of burden makes you stronger. Like voluntary exercise and moving weights. A negative burden is something that makes you weaker or breaks your spirit. Like being enslaved and/or sin. God says a lot about burdens in the following verses:

Psalm 55:22a “Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you.”
Psalm 8:16 "I relieved your shoulder of the burden; your hands were freed from the basket.
Matthew 11:29-30 “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
Galatians 6:2 “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ”
Hebrews 12:1-2 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Notice in these verses that God doesn’t say our life is supposed to be burden free. We will have struggles. But, sin should be cast off and turned away from. Sin will weigh you down and cause unneeded suffering. The burdens we do bear should bring glory to His name.

Consider the video below and it’s spiritual applications.