Do you feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders? Unfortunately, I have felt that more often than not. But I’m learning. . .still.

I can remember times, places and reasons, when I reached the point I could not carry the weight any more and let it go. That’s when I sensed God picking up that very thing I carried and it dissolved into nothing. The worry of it was gone.

There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. Hebrews 4:9-11

My previous post on the work ethic I gained from growing up is partly the reason I still find at times that it is hard to not try to do it on my own and do it to the fullest. God, my Father, has made a way that is much different.

If we listen to God as well as we like to talk to Him in prayer we’ll find He does speak and He will reveal the way that is less difficult. Sometimes the answer to what we should do isn’t what we want to do, but if we do it, I can assure you will lighten the load from you shoulders.

I’m an organizer to the point of what I consider as OCD. Everything has to be in a certain place and symmetrical. If it’s not it drives me crazy. If I let go to let God do it I have to have faith that it will be even more so in His way.

My first big remembrance of His way came when I had a fledgling business in the early 80’s. The owner of the building I rented sent men up on the roof while I was gone on a ministry trip. The removed the sealant and roofing. You guessed it. It rained for several days. I came back to a good quarter inch or more of water on the floor and all of my inventory was wet. I tried to hold my head up and work through it. I remember it still raining and the water dripping everywhere. My glasses were covering in droplets of water. The second day with it still raining I went to my phone and called my wife. With tears in my eyes I told her I give up. I was closing the store. I couldn’t do it any longer.

In a matter of an hour word had gotten out and the neighboring business offered to take some of my stock in the back storage area. Another business offered to take whatever they could hold into their storage area. Another man came by and offered me a new building to set up shop in out on the main highway (better location in fact). A friend of mine that owned a garden center called and said he was coming over to help me. Folks, when I gave up God stepped up. All of this was His doing. I reopened a couple of weeks later in a higher traffic area in a new building.

Another time I was told my family had to move from a mobile home lot we were renting, so we decided God wanted us to have a real home again. We found land and we searched and searched and found a modular home sales couple whose business was called Star Homes. They could do the entire package for home and land. I’m making this story short, so if you want more I have to save that for a later time. I had to sell my mobile home before I could close on and move into the new home. I knew how much God said ask. It was $8700. I tried my best to make this work to no avail. We had given up and found another mobile home and we’d even made a choice on a mobile home park to move into. Then I went home resigned to letting it all go.

I laid down to take a nap knowing my hopes had been dashed because I couldn’t make it work. In a bit, my wife woke me up to tell me someone was coming to look at our mobile home. Not just one, but two. The first came and looked at it and gave me $200 to hold it. If they were not back by the next day we were told to keep the money. The next couple came in right on their heels as they left. They looked and offered us $8500. I said I would give them and answer the next day. The first lookers never came back so I accepted the second offer. The mobile home was gone and I got what can only be described as God’s Hand at work, because it came to $8700. And so we moved.

I’ve got more stories similar to this. I’ve learned to give up. God always has a better plan. What I see in the natural is proof of God’s plan in the celestial. Let the weight of life go from your shoulders. He WILL take care of you.

One thing I’ve told my now wife. (Another story) Looking back God has never let me down. I’ll be 69 this year and I’ve never been without a roof over my head, food on my table, a job or a vehicle to get there. God does expect us to put an effort into our lives by doing, but doing it as He directs has made life so much more palatable. There are issues I’m dealing with at this time in my life that would have totally destroyed me in my younger years, but I know God has built into me the knowledge that He is indeed in control

So, it’s simple. Give up. Take that leap of faith and see God pick up where you left off trying. He is the Finisher of our Faith