By Lois Hewitt

An unexpected day off…what to do? 

Changes in plans, especially short notice, tend to tail-spin me a little bit. But knowing ahead of time causes me to over-think. I can’t seem to win.

I plan my schedule so that I can easily keep up with work, cooking and home chores. I admit I’m a bit regimented. Okay. Maybe more than a bit.

Some days it feels as if all the planning and re-planning is ruining my life. Spontaneity freaks me out. But isn’t being spontaneous a joy in life?  Yes, one I can’t seem to enjoy.

I find comfort in schedules and routines. Knowing what to expect puts me at ease.  I find myself constantly looking at the time because I have a plan that needs followed.

Today with my unexpected day off, I realized that maybe the rigid structure from which I live, might be unhealthy for me.  In my desperate search for stability, I have created my own prison.

I was a chaotic youth and that behavior followed me into adulthood.  As I have matured, I found myself longing for stability. The only way I know to have that is with structure.

Like a building (a structure), I feel as I have constructed myself in such a way that I can withstand storms and outside chaos. But the problem with being like a building is you learn to only bend enough not to break.  You must have some give but enough to topple.  But my foundation is weak.

That is why Jesus calls His followers to build their faith on the rock.  The rock is the rigid, unmoving foundation. Jesus never moves, never changes.  He is where we plant our feet when the storms start to rage. 

Are we called to be our own foundation?  No way.  My own foundation would be like building a house on quicksand. If I depended on my own strength and abilities to stand strong against the world’s gale force winds, it would not be long before the whole thing simply sank into the ground.

I have lived under my own power before and the results of that experience were devastating. Giving up control is so hard to do, but it is one of the best gifts we can experience.

When you give it all to Jesus, He does the carrying of the burdens.  He is the one who relieves the worries. Oh how I long to give up the weight on my shoulders and carry His yoke, which is lighter.

If you feel burdened today with all the worries life likes to pile on you, there is a better way. It’s not always easy to let go, but Jesus calls us, the tired (from trying to do it all) and heavy laden to go to Him for rest.

Matthew 11:28
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

His peace defies expectation. Join me today as I cast my worries and cares on Him. Today I will loosen my grip on my life and start to see a life filled with peace. Troubles may not disappear but you will not be the only one trying to hold life together.

His love for us is real.  He longs to bear the burden. Life is difficult even on the seemingly perfect days.  Don’t try to maneuver it alone.  For you are never alone.