Lift the Heavy Burden

I mentioned in an earlier post that I have recently started running. I love it. It is a time that I can be alone and no one calls my name (that is very important if you have a 3 and a 6 year old) and I can just talk with The Father. Mostly I just praise him. I have a lot of my choir music on my ipod and I listen to it as I run. One of the songs I love is God is Here by Karen Clark-Sheard.

One night I was listening to it and the words started sinking in, settling in my heart. Have you ever heard a song that you’ve heard a hundred times and all of a sudden it speaks to you?

There is a sweet anointing in the sanctuary. There is a stillness in the atmosphere.

I looked around at the sky and the trees He had created and realized it was His sanctuary. I was overcome with its beauty.

O come and lay down the burdens you have carried. For in the sanctuary God is here.

Before when I had sung this part, I thought of all those who might be hurting out there. But this night, I realized He was speaking to me. I was burdened. You see, I am unhappy about my weight. Seems like a simple problem. I am not overly obese by any means, but I am not the size 10 that I was when I married. It really bothers me. My husband tells me I’m beautiful and I always think he is crazy. I don’t like the way I look and it affects my confidence. I don’t want to stand out. If you do now or have ever had a weight issue, you know what I’m talking about. It affects you more than others will ever know. But God was telling me to lay it down. I never thought about putting my hang-up over my weight at the foot of the cross. But He was asking me to that night.

He is here, He is here. To break the yoke and lift the heavy burden.

I started running because I wanted to train to run the Peachtree Road Race. Running it has always been something I’ve wanted to do. I thought that it would also help me to get in shape. But running when you are overweight feels like you are carrying dumbbells around. You just feel heavy, like you can’t pick up your feet. As I listened to the words of that song that night, I knew God was there with me. I felt His presence surround me. And I realized that I was the heavy burdened. It was as if my Abba Father was whispering those words just to me. I am here. I am here. I will carry this for you. Follow me and I’ll take care of the rest.

He is here, He is here. To heal the hopeless heart and bless the broken.

Tears streamed down my face as I continued to run. My feet felt lighter. I was running. My heart felt full. I was running. I wasn’t running from my problems. I was running to my God. He welcomed me that night with open arms.

I haven’t dropped pounds left and right. But I have felt better about myself. God didn’t promise me a size 10 body. But he did promise that if I followed Him and shared Him with those around me that I would be blessed. He has given me the strength to run when I haven’t had the energy or felt like doing so. He has sent a breeze at my back when I didn’t think I could go any further. He has sent a wind in my face when I thought I’d pass out from the heat. He has increased the amount I can run. And if you’ve read my previous blogs, you know he has helped me to run a 5K. One night as I started running and it began to sprinkle, I felt like the odds were against me. That night he sent a double rainbow to remind me that he always keeps his promises. My friends, I have been blessed.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33