Your purse probably doesn’t get as ridiculous as mine.  I can’t even count the times that I’ve dug through my purse and pulled out something embarrassing–like my daughter’s princess underwear–instead of the item for which I was looking.

One time, my purse had gotten so heavy that I finally decided to clean it out.  Among the normal things (wallet, keys, phone, etc) and the normal-for-me things (toddler panties, journal, teething ring), I found a sample block of granite.  The month prior I had been remodeling my kitchen and carrying color samples around, and I had simply forgotten to remove the heavy chunk.  For a month, the block of granite had hidden in the bottom of my purse.  And for that month, my shoulder that carried my purse was incredibly sore.

Much like my ridiculous purse, my life can often get heavy.  My past, people’s expectations, all the weight and fears accompanied with parenting… they sink in deep and weigh heavily on my soul.  And day after day, without a thought, I pick them up and carry them with me, drudging through life.

This is quite simply not the life we were intended.

28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.  29 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.  30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”  (Matthew 11:28-30, NASB) (Emphasis original to translation.)

These verses are like cool water on a hot summer’s day to me.  Rest.  Lighter burden.  …did I mention rest?!  Can I get an “Amen”???

So the challenge is to lay our burdens at His feet…  to choose to walk in trust and not be weighted by anxiety.  Does this mean to forsake our personal responsibilities?  No.  But it does mean we don’t have to carry those responsibilities on our own–that we can turn to God for strength and peace when we feel overwhelmed.

For me, it’s a daily surrender that must occur…  otherwise, I find myself searching my heart, wondering, “What’s so heavy?!”

All the while, my Master’s voice gently whispers, “Come to Me… and I will give you rest.”