Don’t Be Overloaded

Focusing solely on your problems weighs you down. Spend more time considering the solution.

Wednesday, July 05, 2023

By Rick Robertson

Reprinted from The Stand

You likely know the story of Joni Eareckson Tada. At age 17, she was involved in a diving accident at Chesapeake Bay that left her paralyzed from the neck down. There’s no doubt that she has experienced her share of challenges.

Joni is 73 now, and through the years she’s been an inspiration to many as she’s demonstrated what it’s like to love God and love others amid difficult circumstances.

How does she do it? I ran across a quote from this dear saint that might serve to answer that question. She said, “I want to stay in the habit of ‘glancing’ at my problems and ‘gazing’ at my Lord.” Think about that for a moment.

It’s so easy to be weighed down because of very real problems in our lives. Troubling circumstances have the potential of draining our energy.

You’ve seen those weigh station checkpoints along the interstate. They’re designed to ensure trucks aren’t so loaded down that they cause damage to the highways. Maybe there’s a lesson there for us. Are there times the believer needs to pull over to a quiet spot – just him and his Bible – and check to make sure he’s not carrying a load that God doesn’t intend for him to carry? 

If you come to realize that you’ve let the difficulties of life weigh you down, I encourage you to consider Joni’s strategy. Yes, do take a proper amount of time looking at your problems. But also, commit to balance that by spending soul-enriching time meditating on the glory, wonder, and lovingkindness of the Lord.

These four verses from 1 Chronicles 29 might be a good place to start. They give us what should be an awe-inspiring sight of God.

Therefore David blessed the LORD in the presence of all the assembly. And David said: “Blessed are you, O LORD, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name (1 Chronicles 29:10-13).

Standing before the people of Israel, David declares God to be their forever and ever father. And you and I can take heart that not only is this God their father, but He is our father too.

And what is our father like? David proclaims Him to be a God of greatness, power, glory, victory, and majesty. The heavens and the earth belong to Him. He has the power to make great and to strengthen. And that just scratches the surface, doesn’t it? From Genesis to Revelation, we learn more and more about our magnificent, benevolent God.

I challenge you to dig deep into the riches of God’s Word, and as you do, ask the Lord to stir your heart with the glorious truths you discover there. Surely, He would delight in doing that. You might consider journaling the things God reveals to you. I think you’ll be encouraged to go back later and read all that God has shown you.

As you consider who God is and the promises He’s made to you, I’m hopeful that the wonder of your God will abound and the weight of your problems will disappear.

One thing have I asked of the LORD,

that will I seek after:

that I may dwell in the house of the LORD

all the days of my life,

to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD

and to inquire in his temple (Psalm 27:4).