I find it important to work out and stay in shape. I mean, I attempt to work out. If you know me, you know that I am not exactly the most muscular person on the planet. In fact, my arms and toothpick sized thighs are unimpressive. It’s honestly pitiful. Last year though, I was getting super pumped. I felt like Rocky Balboa must have felt as he was fighting everyone he fought in the like 200 Rocky movies. (Let’s be real, there can never be too many Rocky movies.) Anyway, I was in the gym one day, and was pumped. I was doing great, and the juices were flowing, so I went to the squat bar. To give you some context, I had barely done much of any quality squatting before. But I was feeling unstoppable. So, I got up to the weights, feeling like a beast, and loaded about 230 pounds on the bar. This was probably well over a hundred pounds more than I had ever thought of squatting, but I went up, and pressed that bar up on my shoulders. Keep in mind that I was alone, and did not have a spotter. I would love to tell you a story of triumph and breakthrough, where I dominated the squats like Arnold, and made a Braveheart-esque scream as I put down the bar, but that is not what happened. I began the squat, and quickly realized that I had gotten myself into a risky situation. The bar was simply too much, and I couldn’t bring it down. Eventually I was able to bring the bar back to its rack, but I was extremely close to possibly hurting myself. I was so full of adrenaline and self-confidence that had no base or reason, that I almost hurt myself. It was by far the scariest exercise experience I have ever had, but it was very preventable. I could have understood and recognized my limits, but I was too blinded by my drive to will myself through that workout.
When I think about that story, I laugh at myself and realize my need for working out, but I also see a parallel in this to my own life. Sometimes I carry much more than I can hold. The difference is, I go a long time without putting that weight down. In ways, I would suggest that we all feel that way sometimes. We find ourselves weighed down by everything in life, carrying too much weight. The difference between my workout example and real life, is that carrying more than you can is normal for most people in life. Without knowing it, it is extremely easy to live in a god-complex without even being aware of it. We take all the situations we face, and often put them on our proverbial squat bar. Maybe for you, you’re struggling with depression or an addiction, or another private struggle, and you don’t want to tell anyone or get help, so you put it on your bar. Maybe you have always struggled with doubting God, and dealing with questions in your faith, but instead of bringing them out into the open, you let these questions fester inside of you. Perhaps for you, it is with your finances. You live in constant worry that you don’t have enough so you don’t practice generosity, and can’t completely honor God with your income. We all have our squat bar, and we all have things we tend to put on that bar and attempt to carry. The problem is, when we are attempting to carry our problems on our own, holding that imaginary squat bar, and walking through life with our burdens on our backs, we are not living out the life of freedom that we are made for. You were not made to carry your sin, situations, and struggles in life. We as human beings are not strong enough to live with that weight. One of the most incredible things about God is that He is interested in our problems. He is the bearer of burdens, and is more than strong enough. In the Bible, the word “yoke” is mentioned often. Culturally, it played a significant role in farming, or transportation. A yoke would often go on the shoulders of livestock as they pull plows, or whatever needs to be carried to the desired destination. In the first verse of chapter 5 of Galatians, Paul mentions this word, saying, “’It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.’ ‘Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.’” Paul was specifically talking about slavery to the law, and living from freedom and living in obedience because of the saving grace of Christ, and the freedom we have. But this can be looked at as an encouragement for us all, no matter what burden we are facing. Jesus died for your freedom. He has set you free to walk in victory, to walk not in slavery to the burdens you face or to live life by your own effort, but in surrender to the Christ, who is massively involved in your life, and desires your heart. You were created to live in reliance on Him. He is worthy of your trust. So today, whatever weights are on your bar, hold them up to the only One who can truly carry them. For in Him we can find peace, freedom, breakthrough, and deliverance.
“’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 (NIV)
Jeremiah Storkson 