Monday Morning Memo: A "Duh" Moment

I’ve written that I have been blessed this summer to be able to mow.  I’ve also shared that I usually use this time to pray and praise my Jesus.  But if I’m honest…there are times that I find myself whining instead of praising.

It happened this past Saturday.  It was an absolutely gorgeous day and I was anxious to spend time outside.  Unfortunately, though, it didn’t take long for me to embark on a complaining session instead of a time of prayer.  My heart was heavy over a couple of situations and I was soon spending my time telling Jesus what He should do to make everything alright.  Of course, the more I whined…the more troubled I felt.  The strange thing was that the entire time I bellyached…there was a tune going through my mind.  But the problem was that I was so busy instructing Jesus, that I failed to even pay attention to what this melody was that I was “hearing”.

And then it happened.  I had a “Duh” moment.  I realized that the song that kept playing in the back of my mind was the old hymn, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”. If you are familiar with this song, you know the words are:

What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!

I actually laughed out loud when I made this realization.  What a fool I had been!  Instead of spending my time giving my needs to Jesus and letting Him carry them…I was holding them in my tight grip.  As a result, I was forfeiting peace and bearing needless pain.  These words just couldn’t have been more appropriate.

Oh, when will I learn?  I immediately asked Jesus to forgive me for trying to orchestrate these situations on my own and asked Him to please take control of the “wheel” of my life once again.  I’m so thankful that He loves me unconditionally and is always working on chiseling those areas of my life that aren’t pleasing to Him and keep me from looking like Him. When I fall short…He picks me up and cleanses me anew.  I sure don’t deserve it…but His grace covers me anyway.

What about you? Are you struggling right now with something that you need to give to Jesus?  Instead of letting Him carry it for you…are your knuckles white from gripping it too tightly?  If so, I hope you also have this tune playing in your mind, causing you to have your own “Duh” moment.  He is just waiting for you to hand it over and allow Him to take you in His arms and give you peace…even in the storm.  Don’t ever forget that we have a friend in Him and He loves us more than we can even imagine.

Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.

 

 “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary 

and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.’”

Matthew 11:28