Drop it!

"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

I have a very graceful friend. You know the kind. She always knows what to do in any situation. She's keen and perceptive. She handles everything with the wisdom of someone much older than she is. And, when she opens her mouth, you want to listen.....because you know she will say something witty or insightful. When I'm around her, I just want to listen. I guess I hope to glean something from her sensibility.

My friend just got some very bad news. True to form, she is handling it with the calm grace I'm accustomed to. She isn't quite ready to lay it all out for everyone. That is not to say that she is bottling it up. She will look to lean on her close friends and family when the time comes. When she is ready. But, I know she is already feeling the burden of this and I know that she would appreciate being lifted up in prayer right now.

The title of the sermon preached at our church a week ago was The Source of My Comfort. Our priest, Steve, was talking about worry and how it won't change things....and more importantly, what to do with your burdens and what the Bible says about it. When the Apostle Paul was in prison and writing to the church at Philippi he said, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, 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

My hope, my prayer, is that my sweet friend will feel this "peace of God, which transcends all understanding." I want her to know this peace as she works out her feelings about this situation. I want her to know this peace as she accepts what is to come. As she prays for what she desires.
Do you have burdens? Everybody does. This friend is not the only one I'm thinking of today. My mother is still recovering from her broken back. My father is battling allergies and fatigue. My sister has a kidney stone. My son broke his arm. I spent the morning at the doctor's office with Isabel....she's sick again. Two of my nieces are struggling with .....well, life....from a teenage point of view....need I say more. And there are others. Some struggling with adoption worries, job worries, money worries. Think He doesn't care about your problems? You would be wrong. He cares.

"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." ~1 Peter 5:7

Here is something interesting that Steve said: The Greek word for casting literally means "let it drop". Just drop it. Drop your worries at the feet of God. He wants you to. Let Him carry them for you.

Most of this was composed last night. This morning, before I shuffled off to the pediatrician with Isabel, I took the time to run over to Significant Source to see what SS had to say. As usual, she hit the nail on the head. If you have burdens you need help dropping, feel free to join us at the Wednesday Prayer Meetin'. Click the button. You can leave your own requests and pray for others too.