“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
It happened last week. The straw that broke the camel’s back. This Arabian proverb is an accurate illustration of how stresses can build and that one event sends you searching for a quiet corner and a tissue box.
No matter where you live, there are always those things that seem to build up. For me it was two dents in two cars in two days. A difference of opinion among teammates. Watching supplies disappear from the store shelves because the cargo planes that we depend on have hard landings and are abandoned on the side of the runway. A damaged wedding ring that cannot be worn or fixed until furlough. My camel’s back was starting to sag.
My most recent “last straw” happened as I attempted to navigate the roads here on my bicycle. I was stuck in a traffic jam behind a garbage truck, smoking motorbikes, and staring travelers. If that wasn’t hard enough, I was returning from a visit with a friend and we’d just had a misunderstanding. And as I sat there in traffic, sobbing, a surprise rainstorm hit. At least my tears were camouflaged by the rain.
When I shared these burdens with my warrior sisters here, I discovered I wasn’t alone; that I’m not the only one who goes through hard things and gets discouraged. One friend shared that she sat on the edge of her hotel bed sobbing over exhaustion, another friend screamed out in her own home to release built up stress, and yet another one has the need to steal away to her bedroom alone to have time to process and hear from the Lord.
We all have those “straws” that build up in our lives. God has created us in His image and has given us emotions. Lay your cares at His feet; His burden is light. And be transparent with dear ones around you, and I bet you will discover you are not alone.
