Burden
What burden are you carrying? I have been asking myself that question that past couple of days. The question was somewhat prompted by my response to some things recently, which led to me wondering why I was so bothered by something. That led to me realizing that I was bothered because of a burden that I am, and regularly, carry.
Have you ever asked what burdens you? I don't mean what annoys you (cell phones ringing at inappropriate times is high on my list), but rather what weighs heavy on your heart, what brings tears to your eyes when you think about it, what wakes you up at night because of it's importance?
For me, there are some things that just overwhelm me because of the burden.
One of those for me is the lostness of people. To work with people who are not followers of Christ, at times to see them hurting and grasping at everything but Christ just tears me up.
Another is to see those who claim to be following Christ but are unwilling to grow in that relationship and appear to be trying to do the minimum and seem satisfied.
Another is to see a church that is satisfied when they are not reaching new people, are not impacting their community and are not seeing people move ahead in the process of becoming more Christlike.
Another is ... well I am out of time for this post. But I am curious, what burdens you?
posted by Denny @ 2:01 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
What burdens me?
First let me ask you something...Maybe a couple somethings.
Your first burden about lost people. Can you tell when you meet someone where they will spend eternity? You see most of have looked "lost" to others at some point in our life but the truth was we were on a journey that led us to Christ. What we see as lost, Christ may see differently.
What would happen if you, we treated everyone as if they were on their journey to heaven? Leave the judgment to Christ and just did our part to encourage others in their life travels?
It is Christ alone that calls his children and his children are called from many places. If you or I am there when someone meets Christ, most of the time it is in spite of us, not because of us.
If you lay the burden of lostness at the feet of Christ and just loved your neighbor, would you have less results? Or would you live in the fulfillment of the law?
How can you carry a burden for something you have no control of? Someone else's salvation?
Sometimes grasping at everything else is what it takes to find Christ.
Is it a burden to love others, or a privilege?
I say lay the burden down and love your neighbor.
Now I can see how a preacher would be concerned with those who claim to be following Christ but are unwilling to grow in that relationship. You taught me to journal. That now is in the form of blogging. It has helped me in many ways, but where should your burden have been? Was your burden to see me grow in Christ? Something only I control. Or should your burden be to share in love with me or others what you are learning in Christ? Something you do have control of.
The last one is another preacher thing but I would suggest that if the ground is dead, don't waste the seed.
Now what burdens me?
Knowing that within a stones throw of any direction there are people that only have been rejected by the traditional church.
What do I do with that burden? I love others as I hope Christ loves me, with no condition, no condemnation, no judgment of the path they are on. I see others covered by the blood of Christ in need of acceptance.
If because I love someone I get the privilege of pointing them a little closer to Christ I pray I don't become so foolish as to think I am responsible for the Holy Spirit's work, but if I can humble myself enough to stay out of the way I may get to watch the Holy Spirit work.
In me? through me?... in spite of me.
Can't wait to hear your take on his comment, Denny...lot to chew on there, isn't there?
itis interesting that you chose this topic. I had one of those burden experiences yesterday. I was stroking our dog out on the deck and calling him by the nickname our daughter-in-law gave him. Then the tears started and I had such a burden for our daughter-in-law and her unborn child. Needless to say, I spent a lot of time in prayer for those two the remainder of the day. I may never know why that burden came so fast and intense. But this gray haired soon to be grandma has experienced such times before. I learned when the burden comes PRAY.
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