When Life Weighs You Down

In our day, weights are used for many different things. We use weights to balance things; to workout and increase our strength; to hold things down and even to lift things up.

However, in the Bible days, weights were used as measurements and to hold things down. Have life’s circumstances weighed you down and tired you out?

Measurements

Weights are used for measuring different commodities such as food, liquids, spices, or precious metals.

Deuteronomy 25:15-16 You shall have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure, that your days may be lengthened in the land which the Lord your God is giving you. 16 For all who do such things, all who behave unrighteously, are an abomination to the Lord your God.

God is against having two different weights or standards of measuring – one for buying and the other for selling.

Proverbs 20:10 Diverse weights and diverse measures,
They are both alike, an abomination to the Lord.

Proverbs 20:23 Diverse weights are an abomination to the Lord, and dishonest scales are not good.

Proverbs 11:1 Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD, but a just weight is His delight.

Proverbs 16:11 Honest weights and scales are the LORD’s; all the weights in the bag are His work.

Holding Down

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, (weight = burden, encumbrance) (forfeiture)

An athlete may use weights to help build endurance during a workout, but will not use that weight on race-day. We are instructed to let go of anything in this race called life that will slow us down. (People say, ‘How goes the rat-race?’ ‘I feel light as a feather.’ ‘Don’t get your feathers ruffled.’)

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus, I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

Galatians 5:7-8 You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you.

God did not design us to carry burdens for an extended period of time.

Matthew 11:28-30 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 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. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

God will not place on you more than you are able to bear, but man will.

Matthew 23:4 For they (the Scribes and Pharisees, the religious bunch) bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. 5 But all their works they do to be seen by men.

There are times when we need help from fellow believers.

Galatians 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

We are co-laborers with Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:9 For we are laborers together with God: you are God’s husbandry; you are God’s building.

Matthew 9:37-38 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

God desires to work through us. These Scriptures prove that God will not do everything for us. In fact, Jesus has already done His part and is now waiting on us to do our part.

John 11:38-44 Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”

Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.”

40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” 43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”

What is God calling you to do? Don’t allow life to weigh you down. Run! Busy yourself with His will. His Word is His will.