Weary and Burdened

This week has been very heavy on my heart. Not only were there certain events that impacted my university campus, but it was especially trying and workload-heavy in regards to classes and scheduling out the next four years of my life. Talk about anxiety-inducing, right?

Sometimes, straining to hear the voice of God is hard. Imagine walking around your day-to-day life with a white transparent sheet over your head, hindering you from clearly discerning what objects and people are on the other side of the sheet, but still able to make out distinct shapes and forms. That's what a relationship with Jesus is like. The path that He calls you on is ahead of you, and you know to put one foot in front of the other in order to continue, but you're not entirely sure where that path is leading.

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25)

What does walking with Jesus look like? For one, to walk is to stride along at a level, even pace. It's calm, it's cool, it's collected. There's no rush to advance to the next destination. There's not a lacking of motivation or energy. Walking with Jesus is similar to walking alongside a dear friend whom you wish to carry a conversation with, giving and taking. It's intentional and purposeful. It's thoughtful and considerate.

A relationship with God is a two-way street. Many times, it becomes to easy to leave God behind in the dust and take our situations into our own hands. We compartmentalize God. "I'll give this disagreement with a loved one up to you, God, but I think I'll keep my anger to myself." There are a plethora of situations that we experience where our faith in Christ is not wholehearted or thorough; rather, we claim that we can fix the issues that trouble us without Him. That's where things begin to fall apart.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)

This verse has been on my heart all week, mainly because Christ Himself states that He will give us rest. He is our provider, He is our refuge, He is our home in which we make our dwelling. God will never force or coerce us into anything, but He will simply guide us as we give him our time and our space. Like a loving parent who wants the best for their child, their actions stem from their investment and compassion. God would do anything for us, seeing as He already sacrificed His own son on our behalf.

Going into a mid-November weekend where the temperature is below freezing every morning and the promise of winter is right around the corner, realize that God is walking with you. He demands to know more about you, about your life story and your heart. He wants to look into your eyes and be captivated by your emotions and thoughts. God believes that you are valuable and worthy, and He is willing to hold your hand as you continue to put one foot in front of the other.

Blissful blessings,
Amy :)