I keep having a vision of me standing on a road with light pouring down over me, I see a shadow behind me and a shadow before me.  I was immediately reminded of the devotional from day 43 about aiming high and seeing myself as I want to be.

After spending time asking God about the above vision, I realized what He was trying to show me.  The shadow in front of me, is the person God is transforming me into.  That shadow is my goal. The shadow behind me is my former self.  And is to give me hope for the future by reminding me how far I’ve come.

It was a beautiful reminder that, as I’ve said before, life and my walk with Jesus is a process.  It was also a deep comfort, as I am in such a new season that is full of uncertainty and requires such trust.  It was like God’s special way of reminding me, once again, that I will make it through this season and find myself even closer to Him in the end.

I love how God takes such care to meet me right where I am.  He encourages me in just the right way.  He knows me so well.  And as I learn more and more about Him, I am better able to receive His encouragement and I’m more aware of His constant attention.

I challenge you today to take a moment and remember how far you’ve come.  Let God remind you of all the transformation He’s done inside of you.  Like a renovator of an existing home, He has come in and room by room been updating your heart.  Remember what life was like before you met Jesus.  Then look at where you are right now.  Rejoice in the good work of the Father.  Thank Him for loving you so well.  Next, look at where your headed.  Look at the person God wants to mold you into, and give Him permission to continue this good work.  With a heart full of gratitude, reach your arms to Heaven and thank our Father for His tender mercies and kindness to walk through each step of life with you.  The King of Heaven walks through each moment with you!  Now, that’s something to celebrate!

This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sings.  1 John 4:10

Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.  Psalm 95:1

He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.  Psalm 40:2

 

 

 

Today is Valentines Day.  I know that any holiday can be a high or low in a person’s life depending upon circumstances and many other influences.  So today I wanted to, in a way, redeem Valentine’s Day.

I’ve never been one who focused much on this holiday, but I can definitely say that I have some very poignant memories of Valentine’s Days past.  The first memory was the year that I had a close friend spend the night, and on Valentine’s morning my mom presented us with some identical special gifts.  It was nothing extravagant, but it didn’t have to be.  My friend and I thoroughly enjoyed feeling loved and cherished by my momma that morning.  Another was when I was a teenager.  My dad, who normally didn’t do anything for me on Valentine’s Day, presented me with a carefully chosen gift.  A fabric covered red oval box with a pair of earrings.  I cherished those earrings for many years, and I still have the box.  It really moved the deepest places of my heart to receive a gift that made me feel like he knew me a little.  Our relationship was very strained during those years, and that made the gesture way more powerful.  My husband has offered me several great Valentine’s Day memories too.  Remembering the Valentine’s Days of the past reminds me of our innate need to feel loved.  To feel special and chosen.  To know we have been remembered.

A few years ago, God woke me on Valentine’s Day and told me that He wanted to celebrate me!  The King of kings wanted me to be His Valentine!!

That day was wrapped in goodness and loving kindness from start to finish.  He strategically used others to pour His love over me.  It was beautiful.  Now when Valentine’s Day is eminent, I already look forward to seeing how He will love me each new year.  It’s become something to truly celebrate.

Today, as you wake up ready to embrace a day set aside for love.  Don’t think about what you may or may not be receiving from someone as a gift, and don’t even consider what others will boast of receiving on social media.  Simply come before God and ask Him to be your Valentine.  He would never refuse a daughter or son’s request to be loved.  Then, as the day unfolds, stay aware of the blessings you receive and more importantly, the love you feel burning inside your heart.  The love of the Father.  The love that brought salvation to the world.  The love that never fails.  The love that always notices you.  Just be wrapped in Love.  While you walk out this day of love also look for ways that you can bless others.  How can you help someone to feel loved and chosen and special?  This will also bring great fulfillment.

If you start out this day focusing your heart and mind on the real Love of your life, then I bet this will be your best Valentine’s Day yet!

I release the love of the Father over you today.  I pray God would encourage your heart and mind today.  I pray you will feel special no matter what your circumstances.  If you feel the sting of rejection today, or any day for that matter, then I pray God would fill in the empty places and you would know You are always accepted.  You are unconditionally loved.  You are the apple of His eye, remember.

Pain will end, where the revelation of the Father’s love begins!  Today is your day!!

He has taken me to the banquet hall, and His banner over me is love.  Song of Solomon 2:4

Taste and see that the Lord is good!  Psalm 34:8a

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love.  1 Corinthians 13:13

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!  1 John 3:1a

It’s the wee hours of the morning, and I am awake.  Unable to sleep because of a burdened heart, yet determined to walk in peace, so I have come straight to the Father. There are things in life right now that are completely out of my control.  I long to be able to step in and offer wisdom and direction, but the hearts involved are hardened right now and my love would fall like seed on the driest ground.  Like seeds thrown out into the barren desert.

But I am the momma, aren’t I supposed to do something?

The fruit of my womb and my spirit is struggling, and I stand to the side unable to soften a place that was created to be softened by God alone.  That place where each one must have their own encounter with the Creator, first for salvation and then for transformation and growth.

But I am the momma.

God, You placed them in my home to be nursed in the earliest days from my own body, and taught by my direction in the toddler years.  Yes, I still teach them now, but it’s so different from the early days. While instruction is still in full swing, so is the season of “letting go”.

I am beginning to see that letting go happens in stages and I think that’s one reason it can feel so excruciating.

Restraint is a constant struggle.  A willingness to let You draw them to You is necessary, but sometimes so very painful.  These lives do not belong to me.  They never did.  They belong to the One Who created them.  Their hearts cry out for Him.  Their spirits long for Heaven.  The fruit of my womb and my spirit belongs to Him.

As I sit before the Lord this morning and ask for Him to speak to me, I see myself in a large body of water.  I am floating on my back and completely still.  Then He speaks, “Be still”.  I have come to Him expecting a revelation of some task I can begin to do that would make things better, as if it depends on me.  Yet, His words ring through my heart and mind, “Be still”.  I think to myself, surely this place I’ve found myself in is because I haven’t been a good enough mother and need to make some alterations to my daily ways…..yet His voice rings more clearly in my heart and mind, “Be still”.

Like a beacon in the night I see clearly now, that it’s not about me.  I cannot walk out life for anyone else.  Not my own children.  Not my husband.  Not my friends and family.  I can only walk out my own life, and to do that well right now, I must…..”Be still”.

The only way to successfully float on your back in the water, is to be very still…..even though when I first tried to do that it seemed so unnatural.  And there you have it, I am in the middle of a new phase of life and it makes so much sense that everything about it feels like discomfort and awkwardness, mixed with a whole bunch of grace.

This is also the season of fully realizing that other’s actions do not reflect my own walk with God.  I don’t have to live with doubt or shame, because I am allowing those around me to grow and I am allowing them to walk out discomfort.  I am choosing the path less traveled, but I know it is the right path.  Life was never meant to be comfortable all the time.  Growth is sometimes painful and always uncomfortable in one way or another.

This morning, I am once again letting go.  I will continue to let go as He leads.  No matter how many times I wake up white knuckled with doubt and fear, I will choose to once again let go.  It’s not about me getting it “right” the first time and never having to struggle again.  It’s about remaining willing to let go every time He leads me to do so.

Kingdom success isn’t based on perfection, it’s based on surrender and willingness.

Are there any parts of your life that God has been prompting you to let go?  Have you struggled with wanting to control things?  I encourage you right now to go before the Lord and ask Him to show you any area that you are walking out a spirit of control. Sometimes, we can be blissfully unaware that we are white knuckled controllers who are hindering the work of God in and around and through us.  Sometimes we have a death grip on our family and friends and wonder why things are not going well.  Sweet one, I pray if that’s you, God would open your eyes to it right now in Jesus name.  If He does reveal this to you, please don’t feel condemned.  Instead let a right conviction settle into your spirit as the Father begins to transform yet another glorious part of your heart and mind.  This is the freedom you’ve been longing to have!  Freedom to not be in control of things that you cannot control anyway.  And freedom to let God be God and you be His.  It’s a beautiful and right order to things.

God, You are God and I am not.  Thank You for the beauty of release.  Thank You for never letting me forget that peace is found in surrender and trust.  You are Faithful.  You are Truth.  You define me.  I love You.  My life is Yours.  My family is Yours.  In Jesus name, Amen.

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles.  The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.  A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all; He protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.  Psalm 34:17-20

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5-6

The Lord is righteous in all His ways and loving toward all He has made.  Psalm 145:17

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  Romans 8:1

Lately while entering some new territory in life, I keep having visions of myself walking in maturity and wisdom…..but in my actual day to day life, I find myself struggling with emotions and on occasion feeling shame that I am not doing better.  Shame that I don’t appear to be walking in the maturity and wisdom that I so desperately seek.

Then in a flash it occurred to me what was actually happening.  God was giving me vision of the person He is currently shaping me into.  He is using my current life circumstances to grow and mature me, so instead of feeling shame, I should just continue to press into Him and allow Him constant access and opportunity to cultivate the soil of my heart.

I realized that many of us misinterpret God sometimes.  He is always looking out for our best interest, and as a good Father He knows that we need something to “aim” toward.  I have heard it said that when you set a goal it should be higher than you hope to attain so that you reach your full potential.  I now believe that is what God does for me quite often.  He shows me myself way down the road, but He never expected me to become that person all at once.  He is a God of process.

I think He has a dual purpose in this, though.  I believe He also sets a high goal for me, something I can’t achieve on my own, to remind me of my dependence upon Him and to give me the opportunity to partner with Him.  Oh, how He loves partnership!  I definitely know this about Him.

So next time you see the ideal “you” lingering in your mind, let it become encouragement, not criticism.  God is ALWAYS a good Father.  Learn to trust that.  He loves you enough to not let you stay the same.  He wants to partner with you as you grow…..and hopefully as you mature, you will also grow closer and closer to His heart.

God, thank You for always wanting what is best for me.  Thank You for always encouraging me to become the best me that I can.  I surrender to Your plan and process for my life, and I will not feel shame when I fail or “miss the mark”.  Instead, I will turn straight to You and let the light of Your love remove all disappointment and reset my heart to keep moving forward into Your heart for my life.

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.  Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.  But one thing I do:  Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.  I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 3:12-14

Let love be your greatest aim; nevertheless, ask also for the special abilities the Holy Spirit gives, and especially the gift of prophecy, being able to preach the messages of God.  1 Corinthians 14:1

Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.  Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.  1 Corinthians 13:12

Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.  Psalm 33:3

Whenever I begin to discuss worship with someone, or if I am training them to become a worship leader there is one thing I will continually remind them……Sing the song that was written on the page, and then listen for the new song. In other words, Sing the song of yesterday, and then give God the opportunity to release the song of today!

Today is Sunday, a day we set aside to purposefully worship the King of kings.  So I challenge you whether you worship at home alone, or at church with a group, to listen.  While worship is happening, close your eyes and let your spirit focus completely on Jesus and listen for His “song for today”.

Let your whole heart focus on the words of the written song, and then let your spirit be carried away in a new song!

He loves to write new songs on our hearts.

The last time I led worship practice I spent a time at the end just singing out my own song to God.  I had come to practice on the heels of an exhausting week with a lot of emotional turmoil, and when I entered into worship I purposefully pushed my heart to connect.  I began to sing of my weariness and weakness, as I poured out the reality of my heart in that moment, and then something beautiful happened.  My song became one of victory! My song became one of my full commitment to God and His plan for my life, and I also began to sing the enemies defeat! I thanked God for His warring angels and sang of His hedge of protection over me and then I committed to walk out this warfare with Him willingly!

By the end of my heart’s song, I felt completely exhilarated and ready to face the day!

We gain so much when we offer the beautiful sacrifice of praise no matter what our current circumstances.

Will you brave this challenge?  Will you muster up the courage to sing out your victory?

I am reminded of how they used to send the worshipers out before the troops.  I truly believe that is still what we are to do.  I will boldly blaze the trail with worship!  I will stand and not be destroyed.  I will not let my song be stolen.  I believe in You! You ARE the God of miracles!

Take time today to really worship God.  Sing a song you love and then as you sing begin to listen for new words.  What is God singing over your life today?  He is our very present help in times of trouble.

But I trust in You, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.”  Psalm 31:14

We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.  In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name.  May Your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in You.  Psalm 33:20-23

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Psalm 46:1

I believe in the resurrecting power of Jesus.  Completely.  Right now, I am sitting with God and thinking about some things in my life that are in a season of winter.  Things that are having to die.

In the Fall, leaves fall off of trees and flowers give their final bloom….then winter comes.  Things look barren.  Death is all around, and it can seem like it will never end.  But somewhere underneath the surface, life is stirring. We know that after a few months, God will send the sun and call life back into the dead places.  Trees will become green and flowers will suddenly burst through the ground with brilliant color and life! Yes, winter is a season of death, but it’s the death that leads to resurrection!

I am spending time today, mourning the places in my life that must die.  Some relationships that must go, and my ideal plan for some other areas in my life.  This mourning is a really healthy thing to do and helps prevent bitterness from being able to wrap itself around our hearts and emotions.  The permission to grieve can help us continue to be free flowing vessels of the Holy Spirit.  But we can’t stay in the grief.  We walk out grief to get to the resurrection!  There are times we get so determined to have things our own way, we choke out something new that God was trying to birth within us.  Our hands must remain open to Him, always and forever.  God will bring new life into the places we’ve needed to let go.

I know we’ve spent time in previous days to evaluate our season, but not everything in our life is in the same season.  We can have one area that is in the full bloom of Summer, while another place is barren like Winter.  So, take a minute and reflect on any situation in your life that is a struggle.  Is it a place God is asking you to let go?  Is it a place God is trying to birth something new?  Are you resisting His work in that area?

After you determine what season your struggle is a part of, then pray and ask God to show you what your next step should be.  If it’s release, then ask God to help you let go.  If you are to fight for something, then ask Him for courage and boldness.  If it is a place to break out of your “box” and see Him in a new way, then ask Him to remove the scales from your eyes so you can see Him clearly.

Once you’ve done the work of searching and asking Him for guidance, praise Him.  Spend some time today praising Him for being the Giver of Life.  All life.  Thank Him for loving you too much to let you be walking dead any longer.

Thank You God for the victory of release!  Thank You for extending Your resurrection power over my heart!  Thank You for breathing life into me daily.  You are my Source.  You are my Everything. In Jesus name, Amen.

How great is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who fear You, which You bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in You.  Psalm 31:19

….Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. Psalm 30:5b

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.  Psalm 27:14

Today, I want to offer an invitation to you.  An invitation to rest.  I am sharing a candid word that I spoke to God, with the hope that it will lead you into a time of rest and refueling.  This devotional is very different from the others, but I truly feel God directing me to share my very words to Him, with you.  I hope you are blessed as you picture me sitting before the King and sharing my heart with Him.  I also hope that the following words will provide a gateway for you to share candidly with Him too.  He IS our resting place.

Good morning God.  It’s the end of the week, and I feel exhausted.  Lord, I have given 110% this week to my family, church, work, ministries…..and today I need rest.  I know that I have followed Your leading throughout this week.  I know that I have said, “Yes.” to You repeatedly and I have poured out myself willingly.  So today while feeling so tired, I will not feel guilty.  I will not fuss that I am doing too much.  I will not feel bad about postponing my run until this evening because I just need to sit in the quiet.  For this moment, I need to stop achieving and I simply need Your rest.

You do not lead me into temptation, so I know that if I will simply listen to Your prompting to stop and refuel, then I will continue to walk out this day and those that follow with joy and peace that surpasses all understanding and an overflow of energy that comes from walking in direct obedience to You.

Lord, I know that You never said that I wouldn’t get worn out.  I remember reading of Jesus consistently taking time away to just sit in Your presence.  Today, I will do the same.  Today, I will remember that I am mortal and require moments of rest to maintain physical and mental sharpness.  I am not ashamed of being weak.  Instead I will revel in knowing that it simply means that You are extra strong in me right now.

Every step I take in life continually leads me to a closer walk with You.  You are my very breath.  You are my Sustainer.  You are my best Friend.

As I am sitting here, I can hear You in the silence around me.  I can feel You wrapping Your love all around me like a warm sweater.  You are all I need.

Lord, right now I ask You to come and fill me up.  Fill me to overflowing so I can step back into the world and pour You out again.  I long to be a “carrier”……Someone who is constantly carrying Your Presence into every place I go.  Every situation.  Every challenge.  Every opportunity.  Every breath.

May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us-yes, establish the work of our hands.  Psalm 90:17

Find rest , O my soul in God alone; my hope comes from Him.  He alone is my Rock and my Salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken.  My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge.  Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge.  Psalm 62:5-8

One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard; that you, O God, are strong, and that you, O Lord, are loving.  Surely You will reward each person according to what he has done.  Psalm 62:11-12

Recently while worshiping and running, I saw God put a very colorful coat on me.  I immediately thought of Joseph and the special coat of many colors that his father gave him.  I knew God was trying to say something to me.

As I pressed into that vision I realized He was showing me His delight!  The gift Joseph’s father gave him was an extravagant demonstration of his love.  It was totally unnecessary.  That made it so much more special.

I see myself, and hopefully you too, entering a season where we see God pour out abundant love on us!  I believe as you continue to walk out this devotional process, it will begin to look like healing and extravagant blessing!  When I started writing these I had no idea what direction it would take, but now it seems apparent that God desires this to be a walk into healing and wholeness and identity.

Did you know that God is a god of more than enough?!  Jesus walked in abundance His whole ministry….Not because He had a ton of money or time, but because He was always certain that no matter what His circumstances appeared to be, God would without fail provide all that He needed!

In fact, I am always stunned when I read the story of the loaves and fish, and realize that not only did God provide for that one meal, but countless others because He gave them leftovers!! How awesome is that?  When Jesus needed tax money, He simply sent a disciple to take it from a fishes mouth! What?! How crazy abundant is that?!

The God I know will provide exceedingly abundantly more than I could ever ask or imagine, and He loves to give extras!  Those special kisses that are unnecessary, but most impactful.

I challenge you today to thank God for His abundance in your life.  Even if you are in a time that feels like lack, I bet if you really looked around you would find evidence of His abundance in some way.  I think we often overlook things that are really blessings straight from Heaven.  Gifts straight from the Father’s heart to ours.

God, thank You for being a God of abundance!  Thank You for Your extravagant love.  Thank You for this new season of extra abundance where I will see Your delight over me more than ever before.  I give You all glory and honor and praise forever all my days.  In Jesus name, Amen.

Now Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe for him.  Genesis 37:3

Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?”  But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do. Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.”  One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?” Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So, the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.” Therefore, they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. John 6:4-13

When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, “Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?” He said, “Yes.” And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?”  Peter said to Him, “From strangers.” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money, take that and give it to them for Me and you.” Matthew 17:24-27

As a parent I am learning so much about what it’s like to wait for God to move in a person’s heart.  As my children get older, I cry out to God often.  I pray that He would grab a hold of their hearts and captivate their minds.  So much of this stage of parenting pre-teens and teens involves letting go and letting God.

What I mean is, now my children are more capable of choosing.  Of course, we all choose early in life, but when one approaches pre-teen and teen years that ability to choose increases so much.  When they were toddlers it was easy to carefully guard their choices.  Now as they are released into more and more freedom, it can sometimes be scary.

God has been very clear with me about letting go.  He is constantly instructing me to give them more room to choose Him…..or not.

A few days ago, while struggling with how to best shepherd one of my kids, I had a vision.

I was walking in a thick fog, and I was saying, “God, how do I know where to go and what to do”.  At the same time, I turned on a flashlight that I was carrying. (the flashlight represented me parenting in my own strength and failed wisdom).  As you know, when you are in the fog, a man-made light can sometimes make it harder to see. For instance, when you are driving through fog you never want to turn on your high beams because then all you see is the fog, but with your low beams on you can see more of your surroundings. So, when the flashlight further clouded my vision, I turned it off and said, “God, I need you”.   Immediately, I saw the Lord at my side, and He took my hand.  He was clothed in solid white and was glowing. From the Light radiating from Him I began to see clearly.  We continued to walk and hold hands.

He said to me, “The only way to navigate the fog is to stay very near to Me.”

Even as I type this I am deeply moved.

The bottom line is, I can’t control this season…..or my children’s hearts…..but I can trust in the Lord with all MY heart and lean not on my own understanding.  That is where peace lives, so that is where I will stay.

God, You alone shape a person’s heart.  You alone call Your children to Your heart.  I know that You are calling all the unsaved or struggling people around me.  I trust You.  I will choose to trust You every day, and if I start to wander off and exercise my own “wisdom”, please call me out of the fog, and back to Your side.  I love You.  In Jesus name, Amen.

We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.  Proverbs 16:9

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.  Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.  1 Corinthians 13:12

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. Proverbs 3:5-6

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your soul.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”  Matthew 11:28-30

Sometimes, my role as an intercessor can feel like having one burden after another piled on me.  Being a person who people feel comfortable confiding in is a great honor, but takes a definite measure of wisdom.  I see some who walk this out, looking worn out and pessimistic, while others never seem weighed down at all.  I used to long to be one of the later.  And then one day something very valuable was shown to me, and it changed me from being down trodden into someone who knows exactly what to do with other’s troubles…….

That day I was working in the yard with one of my brother in laws, and I began to see him in the spirit.  I saw him standing at what looked like a conveyor belt and packages were coming past him. He was picking them up, and he was overwhelmed and exhausted until he realized that God wanted him to simply hand them over to Him.  I knew that he was someone who many people came to for advice or counsel, etc.  That can become a weary place to be.  I understand this because people often come to me for prayer, etc. And to top it off, his name means “bearer of burdens”, which could feel like a heavy thing to walk with all your life, but only if we are self-reliant.

What I saw that day was, when a person comes to us with a problem or a burden, we should listen and empathize, but then hand it directly to the Father.  He is the One with answers.  We were made to partner with Him, not to be in control.  We were meant to live in constant connection with Him.  Every time someone comes to me, instead of feeling the pressure of supplying them with an immediate answer, I help them hand off their troubles to God.

Now I understand that sometimes, God uses us to help direct people to the Father.

When I deal with my own burdens, I sometimes need another person to help remind me to hand it off to God and shift my perspective.  I greatly appreciate those that don’t let me get away with self-pity or pessimism.  I want to be held accountable with that.  I want to walk in victory.

We all need each other.  We all need God.

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.  Galatians 6:2

For this is not for the ease of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality—at this present time your abundance being a supply for their need, so that their abundance also may become a supply for your need, that there may be equality, as it is written, “He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little.”  2 Corinthians 8:13-15