It's hard enough fixing me!

We all face pressures, be they of our own making or the result of events beyond our control, that show up our inability to overcome on our own. Often the way that we perceive life events will either help us or hinder us as we experience pressure points in life.


Galatians 6:5 says that "...each one shall bear his own load"( like an in sown knapsack). The word 'load' refers to the responsibility that we each have with regard to the values and beliefs that we each carry inside of us, by which we filter and process life events. For example, if I believe that God is not responsible for the choices that I make in life, I will not blame Him when things go wrong. The converse is also true. My reactions are my responsibility. I cannot, for example blame someone else for 'making me angry'.  Knowing what I am responsible for will help me draw boundaries in life. Healthy boundaries will also help me help others. Galatians 6:2 says "bear one another's burdens". These are the burdens (boulders that we cannot carry on our own) that need support from others.


The pressures of life events and troubled relationships can be a stimulus to checking out what is inside my knapsack. God has designed us to carry His 'joy, peace and righteousness'. We don't carry negativity or sadness well. These things eat at us from the inside out. But when we partake of His peace and joy, we are able to live and not just survive. When we know that God first loved us we are empowered to love others and ourselves. When we know that God has totally forgiven us and that He doesn't hold anything against us and that He chooses to remember no more what we did wrong, we will carry values in my knap sack that will help us grow through life situations.


Jesus invites us to be joined to Him so that He can carry us. Matthew 11:28-30 invites us to exchange yokes. The yoke of sin, guilt and shame which produces unbearable heaviness of heart can be exchanged for His yoke which is gentle and easy to wear. His grace will carry you whenever you are yoked to Him. Grief can be exchanged for joy. "Weeping may remain for a night but joy comes in the morning" (Ps 30:5). His Presence, "His anointing will bring comfort to all who mourn... give the oil of joy for mourning..." (Is.61:3,7)


The truth is you and I are not able to free ourselves. It's too hard trying to fix ourselves let alone helping others, unless His Presence does the work in us. When He does the work however, we will be empowered to live and to rejoice. His joy will empower you. "The joy of the lord is your strength (empowerment)" (Neh.8:10)


Our bodies and persons respond well to joy. The Presence of the Lord ushers in joy and fullness of life. Whenever we receive the Lord we are also receiving His joy. Whenever we receive His joy we will receive His empowerment. Then we are able to do life well with ourselves let alone with others.












This blog is based on a message given by Ross Smith at The Vine Church on 24th May 2015 entitled "It's hard enough fixing me...". The full message can be accessed by podcast from www.thevine.org.au/teaching.