Leaning on the Lord?

Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. Proverbs 3:5 (Amplified)

It had been a long night and already a long day by the time I was standing at church for the 11:00 AM service. Our pastor instructed us to stand as he read the Word.

It was the week before Christmas Sunday, so we decided to get more dressed up than usual - to complete my ensemble, I had selected a pair of sparkly red pumps, reminiscent of Dorothy's ruby slippers, but with three and a half inch heels!

As our pastor continued to read, I almost subconsciously began to lean the entirety of my weight on my husband who was next to me. I bet I know what you're thinking; do you have visions of the entire row toppling like dominoes? But no, thankfully, I didn't catch him off guard and send all of us reeling across the sanctuary. You see he is used to this routine.I lean and he upholds. After nearly twenty-eight years it has become an unspoken ritual. He knows that either I am exhausted, ill or just made a less than stellar choice concerning my bedtime or my shoe selection or perhaps I just want the assurance that if I lean on him, trusting him to hold my weight, he won't let me down.

Of course Papa God spoke to my heart that day, sharing with me that He desires for His children to trust in Him, daring to lean our entire weight upon Him too. Just like my husband, only infinitely more stable and reliable; His footing is sure and our sudden "transference" of the cares of this life will never catch Him unaware. He is ready, willing and more than able to carry us and all the weight put upon our lives. You see, whenever we are exhausted, sick or in the throes of not so good choices, or just in need of His reassurance, He reaches out to us, imploring us to not lean on ourselves (or others), but to cast with reckless abandon the sum total of who we are, and what we are experiencing, onto Him.

At times, my husband puts his arm around me, offering me the perfect opportunity to lean on him, but instead I just try to balance my weight by holding onto the chair in front of me, preferring to trust in my own fortitude to see me through that unpleasant moment. Likewise, amazingly, sometimes even though I am physically, emotionally or spiritually depleted, I make the foolish choice to attempt to carry myself through the difficult times of my life. Papa God is waiting, with outstretched arms, but I know better! For some reason I have allowed the enemy or my own pride to convince me that I can direct and carry my life better than the One who knows me best and yet still loves me most! Additionally, my husband can tell if I am leaning on him or myself, because he can discern the weight transfer, and of course, our heavenly Father knows if we are leaning and relying on Him or ourselves.

So the question for you today is: "Is our Father feeling the weight of your burdens and the cares of this life, or are you holding onto the chair in front of you?" He desires for us to have the same routine I mentioned earlier; we lean and He upholds! Whether you are tired, ill, have made poor choices or are just in need of His reassurance, know that His arms are waiting to encircle you, shouldering your weights and cares! Let's be brave and lean fully on Him. He is infinitely worthy of our unquestioning and unreserved trust! It is His delight to carry you, let Him!

Papa God, please teach me to lean not to my own understanding, but to trust You with all of my problems and needs. Amen

Sandy Anderson