Broader Shoulders VS Lighter Load
It's been almost a week since my bicycle accident.
A good friend and riding buddy avoided being hit by a car by riding into me. He didn't fare well . . . lacerations where his face kissed the asphalt and two chipped teeth. He says I got the worst of it . . . cracked pelvis and one cracked rib. Not my idea for a morning bike ride.
After three days in the hospital, I returned home with a walker and instructions to stay off my feet for four to six weeks. Now there is tough command to obey.
Thinking about the challenge of these circumstances and the pressures they bring into my life as I carry them, reminded me of wise words I heard almost 35 years ago from a mentor of mine. I was complaining about the heavy load I was carrying while trying to attend seminary full time and also involved full time in ministry at the church.
His words were these: "consider asking the Lord for broader shoulders rather than asking for a lighter load to carry".
Too often, our first inclination to seek a lighter load . . . to have an easier time of it . . . to have less to have to carry. I believe that God wants me to discover how able He is as I trust Him to help me carry the load . . . as I see Him strengthen my shoulders and increase my capacity to handle the tough challenges in life.
I guess that is one of the lessons He has for me in addition to giving more care to my bike riding.
posted by Roy Halberg @ 9:40 PM
2 Comments
2 Comments:
These are good thoughts, Roy. It reminds me of a psalm which Joe Bayly wrote in his classic "Psalms of my Life."
I'm paraphrasing here, but essentially he says each of us is like a box. Every box has a "pressure rating" for how much weight it can bear--beyond that pressure rating it will likely rupture or fail.
So his prayer was something like, "Lord, you know my pressure rating. Please either back off on the load, or else increase my pressure rating so that I can be strong for the task."
Often I/we pray to remove the burden or the hurdle or the challenge. I will pray for God to broaden my shoulders and take me thru the challenge with him!
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