Is He carrying you or dragging you!?

My brother Homer sent this to me this morning.  It’s cute, and funny , and I’m afraid, in some instances, true!!  It brings me to contemplate a very important question, am I letting Him carry me, or is He having to drag me!!??  Does Jesus want us to let Him carry us?  He said cast your burdens on me, I think that means He wants us to relieve ourselves of those things we can’t carry ourselves, so He does in fact not only want to lift our burdens, He is more than willing, and ABLE, to carry us. The kicking and screaming comes when we are unwilling to go where He wants us to go.

Let me give a practical example;  Several years ago when it became apparent to me, in my spirit, that He was calling me to a higher purpose, I resisted.  I had, what I thought at the time, were some good reasons to “drag my feet”!  I knew He was asking me to go all in, and be completely sold out for Him, and it scared me.   (1) I knew that some in the world would think of me as a “religious fanatic”   (2) I wondered if I could live up to the standard He was calling me to. and finally  (3) the enemy was constantly whispering in my ear that He would not want someone like me serving Him, that it was not His voice that I heard.  Please let me share His response to those fears.

(1)  The fear of being judged a fanatic was not unfounded. I’m sure that more than a few people have had a good laugh about my stance for Him, I know a few have read this blog never to return.  I cannot do anything about that. I am more than willing to be rejected by some if I’m accepted by Him!! Belonging to Him changes everything, it makes your  life so much richer, and more complete, it makes you weep for those that have rejected Him. It leads you to pray for those that don’t know this joy.

(2)  Another well founded fear, I have learned, many times, that “I” cannot live up to His standard!  Only by leaning on Him and accepting His power can I even hope to stay close to the path He has chosen for my life.  When I’m successful it is all because of Him.  When I say all glory to Him, I’m admitting that without Him none of this would ever be possible!!!

(3)  The more we mature in our walk with Him the more we can clearly see the enemies efforts to defeat us. The enemy is dedicated to our destruction. He is the king of liars and deceivers.  He may be right in that I am not worthy of Him whom I serve, but the enemy is denying that when Christ died for me, He made me worthy through His act of forgiveness and resurrection!  While the clock is still ticking on earth, in eternity all is settled, and the enemy has been defeated and vanquished!

My job everyday is to recognize His hand on my life, and ask Him for the strength, courage, and wisdom  to serve Him in all I do.  At that point He picks me up, and carries me to victory!

Blessings,

the pilgrim