The Burden of the Day
The title to today’s blog post and this Sunday’s sermon could not be more accurate for me at the moment. From when I woke up today, I have recognized that I am overwhelmed by the burden of the day. What is my burden? Well, it started with making breakfast and packing lunches for everyone this morning so that they could get off to school. Then it was time to prepare a dinner in the crockpot, since tonight I have a couple of meetings that I will mean I most likely won’t get home until after 8PM. After setting up the crock pot, I got into my car for my 45 minute commute. Once at the office, I realized I still needed to write this week’s Pastor Blog, but before I could do that, I needed to go through my daily to-do list to make sure I haven’t forgotten about anything. I have a lot on my plate and the day just started. So here I am now, writing this blog and thinking about how overwhelmed I am by the burden of the day.
I am not writing this to garner sympathy. I imagine that there are others, possibly even you reading this, that are dealing with greater burdens today. Instead, I am writing this out of self-awareness. Self-awareness is the ability to take an honest look at your life, without attachment to it being right or wrong, and reflecting on who you are and what is happening. Today self-awareness has made me aware that my mood and emotions are often affected by stress. It has also made me aware that I tend to live as though the burden of the day is mine alone to carry. Rather than ask for help I keep pushing forward while growing more exhausted and unhappy. So, what am I going to do?
Well, after I finish this blog post I am going to press pause. I am going to close the door to my office. Then I am going to put on a playlist of piano hymn music. I will sit in my office chair and just for a moment (or longer… I don’t know how long) I am going to seek God’s rest. I might recite the Wesleyan Covenant Prayer or the Prayer of Self-Examination by Saint Augustine. I may just remain quiet and meditate. I will probably catch my mind wondering and try to recenter myself. But the one thing I am going to do for certain is I am going to thank God. I am going to thank God for all the blessings in my life I have received thus far and for the many more I am sure are to come. I am going to thank God that although I may feel alone in my burden, I am not. God has given me a wonderful spouse who loves and supports me. God has given me two wonderful sons that I am lucky to be burdened by. God has given me family (parents, sisters, and extend) that care for me. God has given me a church family both here at Lake Cities and in the North Texas Conference. Most importantly God reminds me I am never alone because I have the Triune God ever present in my life.
If you are feeling burdened today, take a pause. Find a moment to just be in the presence of God. Be thankful. Be aware.
Join us this Sunday for worship at either 8:30 or 10:45 AM as we remind each other that through every burden in life, God provides, and we are not alone!
In God’s grip,
Pastor Chuck Church
