The Weight of the World is Not Meant for Your Shoulders!
Read that again. The weight of the world is not meant for your shoulders. Hard to believe? I get it! You’re busy raising kids, building a healthy marriage. You’re wondering when your kids will get to go back to school or what will happen after the election. And even when you feel like you have it all together, the constant message from the media is that everything is falling apart.
You were not made for this—this cycle of endless worry and fear. Some level of concern can be a good thing. You probably have a healthy fear that drives you to protect your children and keep them safe and healthy. But most of the things we spend hours worrying about are things that we have no power to change. God cares for you! He doesn’t want you to feel overwhelmed. He wants you to exchange it for his grace and peace.
“And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” Matthew 6:27
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23
There are so many questions you could ask right now.
When will coronavirus go away?
How will the economy recover?
Who will the president be?
What will happen after the election?
When will my kids go back to school?
But all of those questions are going to make you worry about tomorrow. God’s grace is for TODAY. There is not grace for tomorrow, there’s grace for today! Don’t take yourself out of a place of grace.
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34
There is not grace for tomorrow, there is grace for today.
Don’t take yourself out of a place of grace. When you do, you become filled with anxiety. Filled with fear.
When you feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders, try this:
Take control of your emotions.
Fear, anxiety, worry, and stress come with this lie that you can’t control those feelings at all. You feel like you just have to let it happen. But God commands us to stop being anxious! Remember He would never ask you to do something without giving you the power to obey.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
2. Guard your mind.
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8
The load of thinking about things that are false, dishonorable, unjust, and upsetting will cause you to feel heavy and burdened. You don’t have to carry it! It’s not healthy, and God did not create you to carry the weight of the world!
3. Thank God for taking care of you.
Your portion is peace, not anxiety, worry, or fear. So, thank God! Thank Him for taking care of you to this point. Thank Him for caring about you and the things that matter to you.
Pray this: God, thank you for giving me a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind. There are so many things that compete for my attention. Help me to keep my thoughts fixed on you. Help me to accept the grace that you have for me today and not worry about what will come tomorrow. Thank you for sending your peace to invade my home and my heart today. Help me to be aware of when I am letting my thoughts get away from me.