Lay It Down and Rest

 

Oh yes -- the Christmas lights are glowing. Carols are floating through the air. Everywhere we turn, the message is clear -- Be cheerful. Be jolly. Be merry.

And you may be shouting -- "That's easy for you to say -- you've got it easy -- no worries, no shopping til' you drop, no "to do" lists!" Oh, I do get it -- many of us are carrying more than wrapped gifts this season.

Worry tugs at our sleeves. Anxiety whispers at night. Loneliness, fear and unanswered questions slip quietly into the room. The season shines bright -- but some hearts feel heavy.

If you’re anything like me, your first instinct may be to handle it yourself. Fix it. Manage it. Worry it into submission. We mean well, but somewhere along the way we forget -- God can handle anything. Even the things that feel too big, too tangled, or too late.

The moment we lean on our own understanding instead of God’s promises, our hearts open the door to worry. And worry has a way of bringing on anxiety, fear, and a deep sense of loneliness.

But Jesus (not the one in the manger -- but THE ONE Burden-Bearer, Hope Bringer, and Abundant Life Giver, offers a better way.

In Matthew 6, He gently points us to birds who never fret about tomorrow and lilies who never stress about what to wear. “If God cares for them,” Jesus says, “how much more will He care for you?”

And He does. Nothing -- no-thing -- can separate us from His love. Not finances. Not family struggles. Not illness. Not uncertainty. Not the past. Not the future. God’s care doesn’t waver with circumstances.

Because He cares so deeply, He invites us to lay it down. The worry. The fear. The exhaustion. Even the questions without answers. Scripture says we can cast our burdens on Him -- and He doesn’t drop them. He carries them with commitment and compassion.

Jesus says it best: “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

This season, let's loosen our grip just a little. Let's lay it down. Breathe deep. Rest our souls in the One who is gentle, faithful, and near.

’Tis the season -- not just for celebration -- but for rest.
And He is ready to give it. Merry Christmas, dear friends.