When Life Gets Heavy

 Don't you love those carefree days when it seems you float on the breeze and everything is right with the world? Those days are like Kodak moments when you want to take snap shots in your heart to remember those memories. I had a moment like that this morning looking at our refrigerator. We have a magnet school bus with four windows. Brenda put pictures of the boys when they were little in the windows. I stood for a moment and treasured the memories of those little guys who have all grown up to be men. Treasured memories bringing with them a lighter day. 

There are also days when life is heavy. When the breeze turns into hurricane force gales. Times when the lifting is oppressively heavy just trying to trudge to the end of the day. Days when it feels like you are running up hill and not making any headway. Days when it is two steps forward and three steps backward. Days when we are blinded by the constant rain of trials that keep us from seeing a way to lighter days. 

God is sovereign and rules over both light and heavy days. We might take Him for granted when the bank account is full, the bills are paid, and everything is working like a fine tuned machine. We tend to lean into Him more when we feel frazzled and it seems everything is coming apart at the seams. The heavy days should make us more thankful and to praise God more when the days are light. God is constant in both set of days. He is wise, strong, capable, compassionate, and firmly in control. 

Even in the heavy days we can lighten our load. Read [Ps 55:22]. Have you hurled your burdens onto the Lord? Or do you fret, fuss, and wring your hands in frustration when the load is too heavy to bear? There is no sugar coating it. We live in a sinful fallen world filled with heartaches, trials, tribulations, and sorrows. That does not mean God has weakened. He is still in control even when we lose control. He still listens even when others turn deaf ears. He still helps when we are helpless. He still gives hope when we are hopeless. 

We are not forsaken on the heavy days or heavy seasons. Just because God is silent does not mean He is absent. He promised to never leave us or forsake us. [Heb 13:5] If you are enduring a heavy day or heavy season, cast your cares on Him and leave it with Him. Let God do the heavy lifting as we trust Him the middle of hard times. In due season, I predict lighter days will return. When they come, may we not take them for granted. He is worthy of trust on the light days as well as the heavy days. 

Why So Downcast?

 A perusal of world events can leave a soul downcast. It appears another world war could break out at anytime. The government is shut down again because politicians cannot see eye to eye. Ideologies clash leaving society fractured. Prices keep increasing while some are getting left behind and cannot keep up financially no matter how hard they work. Some have declared war on Christians with whole villages getting destroyed.  On top of all this is the mounting spiritual warfare on parents trying to raise God fearing and Bible believing Christians. It is enough to discourage the stoutest of heart. 

What has you downcast today? The death of a parent, spouse, child, or friend. We got news that a beloved neighbor we had in the Runaway Bay community died yesterday. His wife relayed how the last two years of his life he was rarely at home dealing with multiple health issues that kept him in the hospital. The death knoll knocks for each of us on this side of eternity. 

Maybe you deal with wayward children or grandchildren. Their rebellion and defiance break your heart. They reject the Bible truth they were taught when younger and chase after sins that will never satisfy. Tears soak pillow cases at night as fervent prayers are lifted on behalf of the prodigal. Parents grope through days and nights of weeping longing for the joy that has eluded them in the morning. 

There are many who deal with sickness or caring for someone battling disease. Healing may be slow in coming if it comes at all. There are those who experience the steady decline in health no matter the treatments or prayer sessions. It is easy to get downcast and to lose hope. 

To all of these and more I point you to {Psalm 42:11]. The questions is asked why so downcast? You have your reasons and crisis. Hope in God. The word hope there means to expect good. Many lost hope in God because they feel God failed them in a critical time. The healing did not come. The prodigal did not return. The provision never arrived. The fractured relationship never got restored. The soldier on the battlefield did not return alive. It may appear God failed you. 

Where else will you find hope? Sexual immorality? Substance abuse leading to addiction? Walking away from God and His people in bitterness? How is any of that working for you? Is is producing hope? This world is just a shadow of what is to come. It is all temporary. God is eternal and offers eternity with Him for those who repent of sin and turn to Jesus for salvation. There is hope in that. There is the hope of heaven. There is the hope of abundant life promised by Messiah. No matter how life crushes there is hope with God. Sometimes we just have to worship our way through the hard times. Paul and Silas did in [Acts 16:25]. Lift up another hallelujah, another triumphant shout proclaiming better days by faith. 

I've trod the dark nights of weeping and have lived long enough to see the joy that comes in the morning eventually. I have cast mountains of burdens on God. He has sustained me through devastating seasons of crushing defeat. He has pulled me from the pit of despair. He has delivered me from the dungeon of depression. He can do the same for you. He is faithful. Find a reason to worship Him and keep singing at midnight. Trust Him in the darkness and harshness of life. Cling to Him and bring Him your battered, bruised and broken heart. He will give you reason to hope in Him once again.