The Weight

Can you feel it?

 

You can’t really see it, but it’s there.

 

It’s this weight. The weight of trying to be good enough (for God and for others), trying to do enough, trying to accomplish, trying to be a success, of trying to measure up.

 

Translated into real life, this weight feels like many things. Maybe it’s caring for or providing for others in serious circumstances without any help. Maybe it’s trying to solve problems with impossible solutions. Sometimes it’s carrying guilt for ourselves or others. Often it is trying to be something that someone else put on us – or the opposite. Maybe it’s trying to prove something that no one even knows about. A lot of times it is fear that drives us – the fear of being rejected, the fear of not appearing to have it altogether – or the drive to appear spiritual or religious.  

 

And it is probably others too. You know what I am talking about. But here’s what happens – it just keeps getting heavier. And you feel weighed down. No matter how hard we try, or how much stronger we think we are, the weight keeps increasing.

 

Christian singer Josh Wilson has a song that is about this whole thing. It’s called “Savior, please.” One part goes, “I try to be so tough; But I’m just not strong enough; I can’t do this alone, God I need You to hold on to me; I try to be good enough; But I’m nothing without Your love.”

I’ll speak for myself, but maybe for you too, I do try to be tough and carry it all. I do sometimes think I can do this by myself. And then I reach points where it becomes very clear that I can’t. Very discouraging times. Sound familiar?

 

Here’s the thing. Most – most of the weight you and I carry is too much and was never meant for us to carry. Whether you want to call it weight, or darkness or something else, “He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:13-14).” The key parts being…He rescues…He transfers us…through Him we have redemption and forgiveness. Not us.

 

And this is why the weight or darkness feels so heavy. Because we are carrying or trying or doing things that only One could do and has already done.

 

It’s like being asked to start at quarterback for an NFL team this Sunday without any practice and not having the skills. Scary (or funny to watch depending on your perspective). Or, have you ever tried to lift something that is clearly too heavy? You give it a try and then you quickly realize that it will not be moving. Do you keep trying to lift it? Usually we seek some help. But we don’t do this we other “weighty” things in life, right? We keep trying to lift – straining, grunting, and sometimes even hurting ourselves – without “it” ever moving.

 

Some more help from Josh Wilson’s song, “Savior, please”, “Hallelujah; Everything You are to me; Is everything I’ll ever need; And I am learning to believe; That I don’t have to prove a thing; ‘Cause You’re the one who’s saving me.”

 

You don’t have to carry that weight alone anymore – He can handle it. You can leave the darkness behind for the light – He’s waiting for you. You can become good enough – by just calling on His name.

 

I am praying that you can really start to feel the freedom, the grace, and the unconditional love of Jesus.

 

Can you feel it?

 

Amen.

 

Discussion Questions

1. What are some weights in your life that you are carrying? From where or whom did they come?
2. On a scale of 1-10, one being a feather, ten being an anvil – where are you in what you are carrying?
3. What is keeping you from letting go of one or more of these weights? Is it working for you to keep carrying them?
4. What is one positive step you can take toward letting go or leaving darkness behind?

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Whatever!

Whatever!

Philippians 4:8-9

No, not that whatever!

This one…

“Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What have you learned and received and heard and seen in me, do; and the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:8-9

Each time I think the world has sunk to the lowest levels of corruption, sleaze and decline, something else usually happens to push it further. It could be politics, crime, religion, general injustice – the usual suspects. The day’s news has plenty to report.

It would be easy to say, “Whatever!” to all of it. “Whatever” is what many of us say when we have reached our limit, don’t feel like dealing with “it” anymore or have nothing else to say. It is a keyword for ambivalence.

But then I think of another kind of whatever. “Whatever is true…honorable, pure, lovely…think about these things.”

In a world drowning in confusion, injustice, sin, and discouragement, I do think of these things…

When I think of true things, I think of what I know from God and His word and the promises therein. I think of Jenny, Brian and Madelyn and a number of people along the way on my journey who have been true; I think of all the miraculous things I have witnessed; I think of how God will win in the end.

When I think of honorable things, I think of doing ministry for all the right reasons – not to please people but to respond to needs, to communicate the Gospel with passion and serve others selflessly without agendas; I think of making difficult decisions when nobody wants to or seems able to understand; I think of people who care for others in extreme circumstances; I think of people who are willing to sacrifice their lives for others.

When I think of pure things, I think of going to the mall with Madelyn and smelling candles in the candle store; I think of having catches with Brian; I think of praying with Jenny; I think of epiphanies I have when reading Scripture; I think of a number of family and friends when they were younger; I think of the children singing in church; I think of floating on my back at the Jersey shore while waves rhythmically lift me up and down while I look up at the sky; I think of seeing Star Wars for the first time in 1977 with my Dad; I think of walking through a tunnel and having the field of a stadium come into view; I think of the movie Singin’ in the Rain; and I think of Jesus.

When I think of what is lovely, I think of people comforting one another in difficult times; I think of the colors of fall; I think of people who have been brave enough to change their lives for the better; I think of people who later in life come to believe in God and welcome Jesus into their hearts; I think of people who come back to God; I think of how God wants people to come back to Him; I think of reconnecting with old friends; I think of looking out a congregation and welcoming them to worship; I think of listening to certain songs at funerals; I think of listening to stories of healing and restoration.

As much as this world may be coming apart and as much as we may want to say, “whatever” in the face it – God is so good, all the time that we can still say, “Whatever is true…honorable, pure, lovely” and not only think of those things, but we can be about them.

And Paul’s point in this letter is that when we focus our hearts, minds and souls on “these things” and when we dwell on them, and when we live them out (what have you learned and received and seen in me; do) “the peace of God will be with you (us).”

It is true spiritually and mentally, that when we seek to see the world as Paul suggests (as described in this passage), it is transformational. And it makes sense that when enough of us transform our minds and vision in this way, this world might start to look different…it might even start to be different – more honorable and true, purer, and lovelier.

Mind over “whatever,” we might say.

Want to try?

Amen.

Discussion Questions

Take an inventory and list two or three negative things on which your mind dwells. Is it helping?
What are some things that you find to be true, honorable, pure, and lovely?
What are some ways you can dwell or focus on those things with greater frequency?
What is the connection between thinking of pure things and experiencing the peace of God?

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