I tried to think of a fluffy story to symbolize exhaustion, but all I can tell you about is how heavy my anxiety is and how loudly it screams ‘give up’ to areas of my life.
It’s the cross I bear. Can you think of yours?
The good news for us both, and it is truly GOOD NEWS, is that Jesus took up a really heavy cross before us and has shown us the Way to life through His pain.
It wasn’t light and fluffy. It was hard and daunting… but purposeful and necessary.
“Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” - Matthew 16:24
When we deny ourselves and follow Jesus with our burdens, we are trusting that the way He has gone is indeed the way to life. The only way. He is leading us somewhere with our pain, even when all we see is the cross we are carrying.
Paul conveys this in his message to the Philippians:
“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” - Philippians 3:10-12
You see it right there? In our suffering we are gaining the knowledge of the POWER of his resurrection. Pain is being transformed into power, and not just any power. Resurrection power! That’s the kind of power that brings hope to dead things, flesh to dry bones, health to malnourished hearts, healing to sickness, joy instead of morning, loving POWER.
The key is to press on, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12).
There is a reason Jesus took hold of us, and we know it is for a hope and a future, to prosper us and not to harm us (Jer. 29:11), and by this hope of Jesus is an anchor for our souls when pain threatens to tear us to pieces.
I encourage you to not give in, but to remember Jesus and “...all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won't become weary and give up.” - Hebrews 12:3
“Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.” - Hebrews 12:12-13
Jesus turned death into life through a cross that became a symbol of hope. That cross was far from easy to bear, and taking up our cross won’t be either. But there is a life to press on to, and there is more healing and joy to experience. There is wholeness, there is heaven.
Keep going friend <3
