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| http://blog.cedarscamps.org/2011/07/02/lighten-up-by-taking-on-a-yoke-no-joke/ |
I was just thinking about the show Saved By the Bell. There's an episode where Jessie, who is typically very poised and in control, gets herself completely over-committed, overwhelmed, and exhausted. She gets to the point where she even begins abusing medication to keep herself awake and alert--to be able to get everything she has on her "to do" list accomplished for the day. The episode continues and comes to a very painful, high tension moment where Jessie loses control and incessantly yells, "There's never enough time!!!!"
Summer and I were talking about this very thing this morning. About how, as Moms, we feel the need to be everything for everyone. Our husbands, our families, our children, our churches, our ________, etc. (You fill in the blank.) It literally is a humanly IMPOSSIBLE job.
God has been speaking to my heart about how He promises us in Matthew 19:26,
“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Over the past 3 years, since the birth of my first son, there have been countless times that I have tried to control everything that comes into his little life. I've wanted to protect him from the same hurts and fears that I've encountered in my own life. God has so gently being saying to me, "Open up your heart and clenched fists to me. You can really TRUST me. I love your boy even more than you could ever imagine."
The way He does it is so sweet too, because He never forces me to un-clench my fists. He waits until I'm able to freely give control over to Him. He longs for us to come to Him out of our great LOVE for Him and not motivated by any other thing...obligation, fear, distrust, anxiety, etc. And even this can only be accomplished because of Him and His GRACE and STRENGTH...when we're able to come to Father, through what His boy did for us...all that other junk that we muddy ourselves with, is gone. Clear from our hearts and minds. Then, as a *BONUS* He multiplies our time! Things that we couldn't get accomplished before, because our heads were spinning with confusion, full of the voices of our past, suddenly become light and easy. I love how The Message version translates this for us...
28-30"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."Matthew 11:28
The Message (MSG)
