That's too heavy...

 Happy Friday Friends!

I hope and trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new day begins to dawn in my Sweet Home Alabama! Additionally, I sincerely hope you have had a great week - personally and professionally. One more opportunity is here! :)

Earlier this week my Beautiful Bride and I were talking with one of our Tender Warriors. As we talked he revealed that he has blamed himself for a career decision I made about 5 years ago. Tears streamed down his face, he was worn and he was beaten by something that he had told himself, perhaps hundreds of times, was his fault. My almost instantaneous response was, "Son, that is not your burden to bear." I then went on to explain that I have never regretted that decision and pointed out that God had, in fact, affirmed the decision years ago. You could almost physically see the weight of this burden being lifted off his shoulders.

I have thought about that exchange so many times this week. What burdens are you and I carrying that aren't ours to carry? 

As I was preparing for this Happy Friday I came across an article title, "What Burdens Are You Carrying?" It was written on November 19, 2018 by Women's Ministry and the full article can be found at womensministry.lifeway.com. I want to share an excerpt from the article with y'all this morning.

"Physical illustrations often mimic spiritual realities. Years ago, I heard a message reflecting on extra weight that we can accumulate and carry as we move through life. The visual focal point of the story was a backpack. The speaker carefully placed it on his back and began to walk across the stage. Stones of all sizes were located at various points along his path. As he moved from side to side, he stopped occasionally to pick up a stone, read aloud the word written on it, and place the stone in the bag. Moving from stone to stone, he repeated the process over and over. Eventually, he stood still, sighed, and mentioned the heaviness of the backpack.

Recently, this picture came to the forefront of my mind. The inscriptions on those stones were worries that we intentionally and sometimes even unintentionally collect long our journeys. Take a moment and peek into your backpack. What stones are you carrying? Maybe it's a concern for a loved one who needs Jesus, bad health, financial obligations, the success of your women's ministry, a dream or vision, unconfessed sin, broken relationships, the obligations of marriage, career, or motherhood. The list of potential burdens exceeds my ability to name them."

Pretty powerful, isn't it? 

I also want to share a brief testimony, something that I was reminded of as I have pondered the burdens we carry. My Dad and I did not have the relationship I wanted for most of my life. I tried hard to be the perfect son, to win his approval, to have him be proud of me. I had a vision in my mind of what a great father/son relationship would look like and I desperately wanted that...the vision. As I reflect, I realize that I was carrying the burden of expectation and it shaped everything I thought and did. And then, I remember the day so clearly that my spirit convicted me; just love your Dad for who he is. That conviction changed everything. From that moment I simply loved my Dad for who he was and I loved him with everything that was within me. There were times I would go over to his house, work in the yard for hours and we would not speak more than 10 words. I wasn't worried about what he said or did, I was simply loving him the best I could, the best he would allow me to, through my service to him. I had dropped the burden of expectation and it allowed us to develop a relationship and to enjoy many quality years together. What a blessing!

This morning as I was looking for quotes about burdens I came across this one:

"It is impossible to go as high as you are capable of going, if you are carrying the burden of hate, revenge and bitterness." - Zig Ziglar

I agree, 100%! I would however modify the quote slightly: "It is impossible to go as high as you are capable of going, if you are carrying the burden of [fill in the blank with whatever burdens you are carrying]."

I more fully understood the love God has for us the day I became a Dad. I can't tell you how many times God has used a situation that my boys and I have walked through together that He uses it to illustrate my relationship with Him. And, yes, it happened again! :) My immediate reaction when my son poured out his heart to me was, "Son, that is not your burden to carry." And my spirit convicts me; this is what God is saying to you and I, "Son/Daughter, that is not your burden to carry." Oh, Sweet Friends, please let this biblical truth wash over you.

Please, let's take a look in our backpacks and see what burdens we are carrying. Let's intentionally work to remove the stones of burden that we are needlessly carrying through this life. It's critically important, the fulfillment of our potential, the full manifestation of our purposes, depends on it. 

Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for any of you. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.

Have a great day, a wonderful weekend, please cherish your precious families and please stay healthy and well.

Kev