Are You Weighed Down?

 

By Andrea Merrell

 

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11:28 NKJV

 

“Stop, Daddy, stop!” the little boy shouted as he bounced up and down in the backseat.

The dad slowed the car and glanced at his son in the rearview mirror. “Why do we need to stop? What’s wrong, Son, are you sick?”

The boy continued to bounce. “Didn’t you see the sign? It said we have to pull over and weigh ourselves.”

The dad chuckled as he patiently explained to his child that trucks must pull into the weigh station to make sure their loads are not heavier than their trucks can legally haul.

What if we had the same safeguards? Places where we could pull in and measure our stress level and the loads we carry before we wear ourselves down.

Fortunately, God has provided such a safeguard for us. Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. The Message says it this way:

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.

When we come to Jesus, He promises us rest. He will take our heavy burdens—our stress, our problems, our anxiety—and lighten our load.

Experiencing the unforced rhythms of grace sounds like a good plan to me.

How about you?

Photo by Pavitra Baxi on Unsplash

Put Down That Rock

 

By Andrea Merrell

Don’t hit back; discover beauty in everyone.

If you’ve got it in you, get along with everybody.

Don’t insist on getting even; that’s not for you to do.

“I’ll do the judging,” says God. “I’ll take care of it.”

Romans 12:19 MSG

 

The little boy stood with feet apart and hand raised high, ready to throw the rock at his older brother for teasing him. “You’ll be sorry!” he shouted.

Seconds before the threat was carried out, their mom stepped outside. “Put down that rock, Son. That’s not how we handle things.”

I wonder how often God wants to say to us, “Put down that rock, my child. That’s not how I’ve taught you to handle things.”

Rocks come in the form of verbal jousts. Criticism. Judgements. Those times we’re tempted to fling accusations and hurtful words to get back at someone.

When the woman was caught in the very act of adultery and flung at Jesus’ feet, her accusers stood by, ready to stone her to death. Jesus told them to go ahead—as long as they were without sin. In other words (my translation), “Forget it, boys, not a one of you is sinless.”

We’re told all through the Scriptures to love one another. To be kind. To pray for our enemies. Not to repay evil for evil. To turn the other cheek. That involves a choice and requires a large measure of self-control When our flesh screams, “I’m going to make them pay,” God says to us, “No, my child, leave it in my hands. Love, forgive, and move on. I’ve got this.”

No matter what, God’s way is always better … so put down that rock.

Photo by Arnaud Gillard on Unsplash

Home Sweet Home

 

By Andrea Merrell

 

O Lord, you have always been our home.

Psalms 90:1 TEV

 

I smiled as I opened a gift from a friend. The beautiful gold lettering on a long piece of parchment paper unfolded a lifetime of memories, and I realized the truth in those few simple words: Home—the place your story begins.

 

Some say we are what we eat. Others say we are what we read. Still others insist we become like the people we associate with. I believe we are the sum total of our life experiences, yet it all begins at home from our earliest recollections.

 

As a writer, I draw from everything that has touched my life. Even when creating fictional stories and larger-than-life characters, I find many of my own attitudes, experiences, and hang-ups sneaking their way into the story.

 

Everyone who touches us leaves an impression—some to a greater degree than others. We are influenced by success, relationships, and blessings, as well as pain, heartache, and failures. Seeds are planted throughout our days—both good and bad—and they spring up when we least expect them.

 

Even though home has great bearing on who we become, it has not always been my safety net. There were times in my life I wanted to be anywhere else but home. The good news is God takes all the broken pieces, smooths out the rough edges, and strategically puts the puzzle together, forming the bigger picture. When we belong to Him, He takes every trial and every triumph, refines them, and wraps them in His grace. God promises to work every situation for our good, His glory, and the benefit of those around us. He also promises to prepare a place for us where we will spend eternity. That’s when the journey really begins.

My story began in my childhood home, dysfunctional at best. It continues today as a wife, mother, grandmother, author, editor, and devoted child of God. He is my dwelling place. My Forever home.

 

In the Wizard of Oz, young Dorothy had a grand adventure and met lots of quirky characters on her way. I’ve had some pretty grand adventures myself, but one day when I reach my heavenly destination I will say just like Dorothy, There’s no place like home.

 

How about you? Will you let Him re-write your story and become your forever home?

 

 

 

Faith in a Nutshell

 

By Andrea Merrell

What is faith? It is the confident assurance

that something we want is going to happen.

It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us,

 even though we cannot see it up ahead.

 Hebrews 11:1 TLB

 

“What is faith?” the leader asked the group.

After a long moment of silence, answers slowly came. Trust. Belief. Hope. The last member of the group finally said, “Something I wish I had.”

Faith is not about religion or denominations. And it’s not some pie-in-the-sky, super-spiritual thing that we search for and hope to someday find. If it were something that out of reach, the Bible would not tell us that without it, it is impossible to please God.

The Greek word for faith is pistis and means firm persuasion or a conviction based on hearing and learning. Hearing and learning what? The living, powerful Word of God—everything He has to say on the matter.

“But I don’t feel like I have any faith,” I’ve heard people say. The truth is faith is not a feeling. It is not something we drum up and has nothing to do with intellect. Simply put, The Word for You Today says, “It’s a choice you make to fully embrace what God says in His Word. When that happens, it creates a heart climate that motivates you to act in keeping with what you choose to believe.”

Now that’s faith in a nutshell.

 

Photo by Mufid Majnun on Unsplash

Are You Willing to Change?

 

By Andrea Merrell

Give your complete attention to these matters.

Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress.

1 Timothy 4:15 NKJV

 

“I’ve done everything I know to do,” the woman said to her therapist. “I’ve always used the same methods to get great results, but nothing seems to be working now.”

The problem comes when we’re unwilling to change. They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over while expecting different results. In other words, if we want to see or have something different, we have to do something different. Otherwise, we’re stuck. No moving forward. The same old, same old.

This applies to every area of our life. The Word for You Today says:

If you want to grow, you must be willing to change. General Douglas MacArthur said, “Life is a lively process of becoming. If you haven’t added to your interests within the past year; if you are thinking the same old thoughts, relating the same personal experiences, and having the same predictable reactions, rigor mortis of the personality has set in.”

I’ve heard it said that the only constant in life is change. Nothing remains the same except God and His Word. He accepts us just as we are but loves us too much to let us remain the same. As we submit to Him, He will lovingly lead and guide us, helping us to grow and mature into the person He created us to be.

Change is always good when God is in the driver's seat.

Photo courtesy of Unsplash.com and Ross Findon.