Too Much to Carry

I had to go to Wal-Mart last night for some things. Just a few things were on my list, so I neglected to take a cart because I didn't want to be one of THOSE people who gets a cart for two things.

As I was walking around, I was picking up things here and there. What started out as a pair of earrings, a small strainer, screen wipes, and stickers, quickly turned into a gallon of water, 5-pack tissue boxes, a few bowls, and some other things. I just needed to grab one more thing. I reached for it, and dropped a load in the process. I fell to my knees and began organizing my load a little better. If I just had a better way to carry it, I would be fine. But my arms were sore, and I was realizing that I should have just gotten a cart.

Since I too often neglect the Word of God, He typically reveals my weaknesses and speaks to me through situations and analogies to encourage me and remind me of my need for him. Even Wal-Mart shopping trips. In that moment, those tissue boxes were disappointments, the gallon of water was work, the bowls were family responsibilities, the stickers were my weariness in church hunting. By themselves, none were unbearable... but together, I couldn't carry them. And for far too long long I've insisted that I'm strong enough to carry everything in life alone, I don't need a cart. I've got this. I don't need God. That's what I was saying through my actions. And I thought that maybe I just wasn't carrying my load the right way, maybe I just needed to organize the load and get my priorities straight, and then I could carry it all on my own.

But that's not what it was. It was too big of a load to carry alone. I didn't intend to pick up so many burdens, but I did. And I couldn't carry them. I needed help, but I just didn't have it.

Thankfully, that's not the case with these burdens in life that are too much to bear alone. God is willing to carry my burdens, I just needed to reach a point where I was humble enough to admit I can't do it on my own. I'm not there yet, but I want to be. I don't want to be weak, but that's what I need in order to be strong in Christ. Lord, humble me, that I may give my burdens to you to carry for me, as I find peace and comfort in the road you've laid before me to journey upon.