Isn’t it amazing how God can take everyday experiences and use them to help us grow closer to him? I’m in awe of what God has done over this last month, and I thought I would share. This Afternoon, I went and took a walk at one of the Nature Trails here in Wauseon. I got the opportunity to listen to the new Taylor Swift Album on my walk (which was awesome, by the way), and the sun was shining, so it was just a fantastic experience. The trail is BEAUTIFUL, and I love seeing God’s creation around me. It’s about a 3-mile walk, and walking the path gives me time to reflect on how God is moving in my life and how good he is. After finishing my walk, I decided to run some errands. I went to Walmart and purchased a few snacks for the weekend, then picked up a Little Ceaser Pizza for Supper, and then stopped by the Gas Station for some drinks to have with my Pizza. I got home, parked my car in the Driveway, and started carrying stuff in. After Grabbing the Drinks, The Pizza, and one of the bags, I realized that I was only one person and that I couldn’t carry it all in one trip and would have to make multiple trips.
It was then that I got to thinking, How much of what we carry by ourselves every day was not meant for us to carry? Our worries, anxieties, fears, the list goes on and on. As Humans, we’re meant to surrender it all to him, yet we often try to carry it ourselves. Living a life of Surrender can be easier said than done. I really found myself carrying a load this last week. I got the privilege of being a leader on a Youth Mission Trip to Charlotte, North Carolina. It was a blast, but there was a particular part of it that drove me insane. For those of you that don’t know, I’m a Type A personality which means I like to have everything planned out and like to know the 5 W’s (Who, What, When, Where, Why) at all times. On a trip like this, that isn’t always possible. There are going to be things that nobody can plan for, and that’s OK, but if I’m being honest, it drove me nuts for a while. Last Friday, I went through a low point. I was exhausted physically and mentally, and I couldn’t stop or control my worrying for a time. I reached out to one of my incredible friends (this person knows who they are). That person helped me calm down and, most importantly, pointed me back to the cross, precisely what I needed. (I could go on forever telling you about how amazing my friends are and how Loved I am by all those around me, but that’s another story for another time).
So when I thought about all the things I carry that I wasn’t meant to, the trip came to mind. 1st Peter 5:6+7 really is a source of comfort to me when I think about all the things I worry about. It says, “Humble Yourself, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may uplift you in due time. Cast all your anxieties on him because he cares for you.”. He cares for us more than we can imagine, so we shouldn’t try to carry everything ourselves as we often do. As I finish my internship this summer, I pray I can do just that. Sometimes we need to take a deep breath, give it all to God, and live in peace, knowing he will take care of it.