What’s Weighing You Down?

I have recently had a great holiday. We had the privilege of spending a few days in Durban and did a cruise to an island off the Mozambican coast. While we as a family built many good memories, I also picked up some extra unwanted weight. My belt buckle is a little tighter, and the scale doesn’t lie. I am determined to shed the extra kgs over the next few months. 

I also know of others who are carrying extra weights.

While they are in excellent shape physically, they are weighed down by the burdens of life.

Others are weighed down by anxiety and depression. Some are struggling under the heavy load of sin that has left them sinking. 

Are You Carrying Extra Weight? 

Burdens can be heavy.

Guilt, worry, dread, and bitterness can leave you downtrodden with a sinking feeling. The weight of fear can sap your strength and paralyze you. A secret sin can crush you. Stress can leave you feeling overloaded. 

Are carrying a burden?

Does it feel like you have a bondage that is weighing you down that you just cannot shake? 

Release 

I do not know what is weighing you down, but God does.

He cares for you. He wants to release you from the weight and set you free. And, if you are prepared to let go of your burden and give it to Him, you will not only feel lighter, but you can know God’s peace, and enter the next season without the weight slowing you down and messing up your life. 

Cast Your Cares On God

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)

Let go of your anxieties and worries. Give all your concerns, once and for all, to God.

He cares deeply about you. He is watching over your life. He wants the best for you. 

Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, 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)

Are You Weary? Burdened? Weighted Down?

Jesus told us to come to Him.

He offers rest and refreshment.

He wants you to surrender your burdens to Him. He gently wants to touch your heart, remove the heaviness, lighten the load, and gently bring renewal and peace to your soul.

The Message version puts it like this:

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Worry and a Broken Spirit 

King Solomon was known as a man of great wisdom. He told us that, “Worry weighs a person down.” (Proverbs 12:25)

He also told us that a “broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” (Proverbs 17:22)

Cheer Up

Are you weighed down? Does it feel like your strength has been sapped out of you due to worry? 

Then take King Solomon’s advice: 

He said “Worry weighs a person down.” But, he told us that “an encouraging word cheers a person up.” (Proverbs 12:25)

God has a plan for your life. It is a good plan. There is hope. Put your trust in Him. 

King Solomon also told us that while a broken spirit saps a person’s strength, “A cheerful heart is good medicine.” (Proverbs 17:22)

If you are weighed down, make a choice to look on the bright side of life, to lift up your weary head, and to exchange your doom and gloom for joy and a happy heart. 

We are told, “Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!” (Nehemiah 8:10)

While worry weighs you down and being sad weakens you, so the joy of the Lord gives you strength. 

At one stage in his life, David was depressed.

He was in a stressful position. He was worried. Anxiety was literally killing him. He was fearful. He felt weighed down. He was about to give up and quit.

But David chose to seek God:

David said, “I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces. In my desperation, I prayed, and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles.” (Psalms 34:4-6)

Let go of your troubles today.

Surrender them to God. 

Related Post: Do not Fear! Trust in God! – If you are fearful, overwhelmed with burdens, this is the message you need today – The Good News, hope and prayer!

Don’t Worry About Anything. Pray About Everything 

We are told, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)

In other words, BE JOYFUL.

DON’T WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING – RATHER PRAY TO GOD ABOUT EVERYTHING! 

Approach God. Go boldly to God’s “throne of grace.” There you will “receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16) 

Tell God what you need. Thank Him for all He has done. When you do this, you will experience God’s peace.

And God’s PEACE exceeds anything we can understand, and this peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. 

I want to encourage you to lift your weary head. Fix your thoughts on what is good. Look to Jesus. 

The last few years have been tough.

I know it is difficult to remain positive if you have been hit by a barrage of negatives.

You may have taken a series of hard knocks that has left you feeling like you want to quit.

You may have let go of your dreams…

Don’t Stop

You may have messed up.

You may be haunted by your past.

You may be weighed down by the pressures of life.

You may be carrying heavy burdens. 

A New Beginning 

You can begin again.

You can start afresh with God.

A new year is a good time to start over.

You can wave the past goodbye and start the new year renewed, rejuvenated, refreshed, restored, and rearing to shoot for your dreams. 

Related Post: A New Year – A New Start – Last year may have been bad, but it is time to dream big and attempt great things with God and for God!

Let Go of the Weight

If the weight of sin or past mistakes are getting you down, turn to God. 

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

God is faithful and just to not only forgive you but to purify you and release you from the weight of sin. 

Let Go of Your Past

You can’t hold onto the weights that are weighing you down.

You need to let go of them, surrender them to God, and let God release you. 

“I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” (Philippians 3:13-14)

It is time to move on, to move forward.

It is time to forget the past, to let go of the weights, and to press on to the destiny for which God made you to fulfill.

Related Post: It’s Time to Break Camp and Move Forward – What’s holding you back from achieving your God-ordained dreams? It is time to move forward!

Where Does Your Help Come From?

The Psalmist wrote, “I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” (Psalms 121:1)

Where are you looking for help? Who are you looking to?

Don’t look in the wrong places – Look to God!

He is the creator of the mountains. He is the inventor of life, and He wants to do life with you. 

Do you realize how big our God actually is? When you understand this, no fear or trial can hold you back, because you know who is behind you! Check out our blog post: God Is Super Huge!

We are told that God “will not let your foot slip”. He “watches over you,” He “never sleeps.” It goes on and tells us that, “The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” (Psalms 121:1-8)

Let Go of the Weight and Look to Jesus 

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)

You can’t carry the heavy weights on your journey through life. Not only will the extra burdens slow you down, but they will weaken you, wear you out, and trip you up. 

So, what do you do?

We are told to strip off every weight that is slowing us down, and to let go of the sin that entangles us so that we can lighten our load in order to run the race with endurance. 

It is difficult in your own strength. You need help, and Jesus offers this help. 

We are told, we can do this by, “keeping our eyes on Jesus.” 

On the cross, Jesus paid the full price for every sin, for every vile curse and bondage, so that we can find forgiveness and be set free. 

Do you realize what Jesus did for you on the cross? You can know exactly what He did for you! Check out our blog post: The LOVE Of JESUS And The POWER Of The CROSS

Free

Today is the day to let go of the weights that are burdening you and getting you down. It’s time for a new start. It’s time to be free. 

Strip off the weights. 

Let go of your burdens. 

Surrender your life to God. 

Set your sights on Jesus. 

If you want to start or restart your walk with God, click here to pray a simple prayer we have for you.

“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.” (Psalms 55:22)