My Burden is Light

The sun is beginning to break through as I write this but this morning we had a steady light rain. It really was a wonderful feeling. I opened up windows and let the fresh cool air come in the stuffy house. I have been busy doing things here as I was out of commission last week with the first of cataract surgeries. So I was a little behind on my housework. But with the cool breeze and the sight and sound of the light rain outside, I went about my duties with a new strength and outlook. The hot humid weather we have been experiencing out here in the Midwest appears to be broken, praise the Lord! It was a scorcher for sure. It is so nice now to see the starting of the changing leaves and feel the briskness in the air.

This morning also, I was experiencing kind of the same thing in my spirit. A new, fresh anointing, receiving the light rains and cool breezes of His Spirit into my parched and dry spirit. Just like our ground that had suffered so this summer needs the refreshing of the rains and breezes, so do our spirits from time to time. I thank Him for these times of refreshing. We all seem to go through dryness and parchness from time time. Maybe God allows it so we don't take for granted His refreshing Spirit when it comes. Oh the burdens of the day weigh heavy sometimes. There are so many people with so many needs, going through various trials. There is so much going on in the world with the violence and evil. Sometimes we lose focus on the very One Who can give us those times of refreshings. 

In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus was telling the people that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and my burden is light." It is hard for me to imagine a light yoke when I recall pictures I have seen of oxen and cattle in yokes. And a light burden? We always feel that a burden from the Lord must weigh us down but it's quite the contrary. He lays a burden on us so that we can be a vessel between Him and the person we are praying for. He never meant for that burden to weigh us down. When we are done praying for others, we must leave it with the Lord and not carry it around all day long. I think I may have been doing some of this lately. The burdens are great for sure. But we must remember that they are the Lord's burdens and we are the vessel for Him to flow through. He never meant us to be stressed out so much that it steals our own joy and rest.

Refreshing! I thank the Lord for it when it comes. I want to be soaked up in His Spirit. I want to feel light so that He can flow through me when He desires and not have anything inside that would hinder that flow. Just as the brown grass and hard ground that had endured the high temps and humidity this summer now finds refreshing rains and cools breezes -- so my spirit is receiving the refreshing rains of His Spirit. And--- I don't need an umbrella for that. In fact- my umbrella is closed and the windows of my spirit are wide open!     

~ ~ Donna