Sitting Solemnly

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:1-3 NASB

Each day begins with noise. The sound of an alarm, quickly overshadowed by the thought of the day’s to do list - Not long after, our phone starts buzzing: emails, texts, notifications from social media apps. Even when the noise is not audible, we hear it in our thoughts—the push and pull of tasks, decisions, responsibilities. Holy Spirit teaches us wisdom and discernment as He invites us to refuse the voice of this world, to turn down the internal volume in our minds, and to hear the Voice of the Lord, the Good Shepherd. 

It’s not that we abandon our jobs or ignore our responsibilities. It’s that we learn to walk through the day with Jesus leading us. In fact let Jesus Christ be your shepherd. Imagine Him leading you to each part of your day. Imagine Him walking with us through dark valleys. Imagine Him preparing a feast for His people even in the darkest moments. What is heavy on your mind, the burden of a financial or relationship uncertainty? Maybe it’s concerns about the current state of world affairs that have us feeling overwhelmed under the weight of it all. Jesus teaches in Psalms 55:22 NASB “Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” My friends, putting our trust in Jesus Christ is the only way to navigate this journey to eternity. The Bible teaches that worrying too often is unfruitful. It cannot produce the things we are hoping for. Only God can. Only God can work in the midst of every situation for His glory and our good.  Holy Spirit reminds us not to fret but to be still and wait. 

I understand waiting is hard to do. Think of it like an activity even, worry, it is active; it gives us something to do, something to say, or to talk about with others. And yet when we feel overwhelmed by life, there is only one thing which is essential: sitting at the feet of Jesus as He surrounds us.