My husband and children went out of town this weekend on a little guys’ trip. Of course I miss them when they’re gone. I also enjoy getting to have a couple days of “me” time in the quiet. I think if we’re honest we all need a little me time sometimes. It’s like a tiny little reset that let’s you get a deep breath.
As part of my weekend reset, I treated myself to a 90-minute massage. It was a totally worth it. I don’t get massages regularly but I’ve had plenty of them. That was one of the better ones that I’ve had. I asked for some specific focus on my feet and legs because of all the walking I do. When the time was up the massage therapist asked how much I walk and then said, “I can tell.” He pointed out that my leg muscles would benefit from a stretch before a massage the next time.
But then he said something that has triggered this post. He said from his perspective, I didn’t have any other issues. I was in good shape. Well, I could have told him that but I accepted his comments and moved on. This morning as I was getting ready for church by putting on leggings and tall boots I thought about my leg muscles again and the whole conversation played back in my head. I mean it was quiet here this morning.
I have just come through a season that could certainly leave me carrying around some stress and tension that might show up in my muscles. I mean the death of your second parent and closing up an estate is fairly heavy and stressful. But it didn’t show up that way. Even though maybe it wouldn’t be surprising if my muscles were in knots and the tension was tangible. It’s because of how I carried it. Or rather who helped me carry it. How are you carrying your stressors? Are you letting God help you?
It made me think of that meme that basically says, “Just because I carry it well doesn’t mean it isn’t heavy.” It was heavy and would be bordering on unbearable if I were carrying it myself. Friends, it’s God who has done the heavy lifting and carrying – not Robyn. I had a bad car accident when I was in college. It was bad enough that the force on the seat belt caused a piece of my sternum to chip. My neck, though, was not remotely sore. I believe God, or whatever angel was assigned to me that day, was holding my head. It doesn’t add up any other way.
Friends, when God is doing the carrying, we come out OK. We come through. Even when it doesn’t make sense and when the whole world would understand if we were knotted up in tension. He will carry us ALL the way through.
Psalm 91:11-12 says “For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. They shall bear you up in their hands, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.”
The Book of Isaiah is absolutely full of reminders of how God is with us, strengthens us, upholds us, helps us, carries us. Isaiah 46:4 says, “Even to your old age, I am He, And even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you.”
He promises over and over to carry us through when we can’t do it alone. Sometimes He gives us direction on which way to go, what to do and He carries the heavy. Sometimes, when we let Him, He just picks us up and carries us through. That’s how we come out OK. If we can focus on not fighting Him then we might even come out better. If we fight Him like a toddler fighting being carried out of a candy store, then we might get some bumps and bruises – not because He didn’t carry us but because we fought Him along the way.
I don’t know what heavy, stressful stuff you’ve been going through – job loss, health problems, death of a loved one, kids gone astray or just struggling to find your purpose in life – but take a minute and look at how you’re carrying it. Give it to God and let Him do your heavy lifting. Let Him carry you without a fight. Take the help He provides. Just hang on tight and let Him be God.
I won’t promise that you’ll always get through it unscathed because sometimes He makes great use of the bumps and bruises we experience. (That’s a whole other post.) These serve as a reminder, a lesson, a guide for the future both to us and to the many people who witness our lives. However, I will promise because God promises, that He will carry you through.
