By Pastor Kevin Barnhart
Spring Grove Evangelical Free
This summer the rain has seemed constant and steady like a “drip…drip…drip that never stops.” Floods have occurred near and far causing devastating destruction to homes, land, and lives. The damage in the wake of something so innocent as the rain is incredible. But when the soil becomes saturated and can no longer absorb all the water the earth becomes overwhelmed and begins to flood. So it is with the emotional floods that are happening in our hearts and souls every day.
There is a litany of things to do, projects to complete, expenses to pay for, and tasks to be completed. We are overwhelmed with thoughts of fear, worry, and what ifs. We write them down with the hope of trying to quail our minds, organize our days, and settle our hearts. Nevertheless, as I get older, I have begun to understand that these lists and worry never end. There is work to be done, life to be lived, kids to tend to, parents to care for, employers to please, achievements to obtain. And fear and worry can become like weight threatening to drown our hope. The voice of this world whispers to our souls to push on towards the goal, to be afraid, to fill ourselves with things that will rust, fade, and be taken away. But to what end?
What if I told you we are all being flooded by the lies of the enemy? Would it rattle you to think that all these worries, all the fears, all the busyness, and desires, even many of our endeavors are being prodded on by sin?
The world will drip lies into our minds, hearts, and soul. The ultimate goal of the enemy is to rob you of the Savior. The hope of the enemy is to eventually crowd out all that is good, all that is lovely, all that is pure, to crowd out Jesus. You need a bigger home, a nicer car, a higher position at work, a house filled with things, a life flooded with a false economy of activities, lists, and stuff. You should worry about your tomorrow, you don’t know what will happen, you should be afraid about the world activities everything is so scary. And before you know it, time will have slipped past as we labor away at so many things that didn’t matter and worry with an arrogance that in fact our worry in and of itself will help the situation.
So, if your heart is feeling the flood of this world, if you are desperate to find shelter, if you simply cannot or do not want to keep on this painful path. I want you to know that He has thrown you a lifeline. Jesus fingers reach for you, the shelter of His wings is the shade on your face, the moment of Joy you feel is the gift of His love, the thrum in your heart of longing for more is His blood poured out. The invitation is to come unto Him. Did you ever begin to wonder upon Jesus words as he spoke about His yoke being easy and His burden being light? So often my emotions lie and will tell me that reality does not bear this out. What about for you? Do you feel like your burden is light? So, is Jesus wrong? Was he not speaking truth? No in fact the problem lies in us. We have chosen the wrong path. My dear friends, we have chosen the yoke of this world. God sees the weight we are carrying when we swallow the lies of the world, and He wants us to lay it down and to come follow Him.
Let me suggest that Jesus is calling each of us to a season and time of pruning, a time of simplifying our lives, of refocusing and restructuring, if the journey feels scary and hard to let go of some of these worldly “things” than you are likely right where God wants you. This is sacred space. This is the only space in which your soul can find rest, eternal life, joy, peace, hope, and your Savior.
But don’t take my word for it. Take HIS this is not my promise, it is not even my invitation it is God’s invitation to you. Let go of this world, let go of the lies, let go of the busyness, packed days, emotional abuse and worry, let go and take hold of HIS HAND – He is reaching for you.
“Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest…” Matthew 11:28
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