Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 12 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. 13 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.            

      As I was leaving the gym, I noticed a young man entering the gym who looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. He looked worn out, energy spent, and fed up with all the mayhem that was happening throughout the world at this time. The burden of Sisyphus was etched on his face and expressed by his body language as he rolled his boulder up a hill only for it to roll back down upon his troubled life. The irony was not lost on me, in that he would be lifting weights during his workout. I hoped there would be a release during his exercise for his weary soul because at least he was in control of the weight size he would be lifting.       

      I realized he looked like so many young people who are being crushed under the weight of society’s expectations that have been placed on their shoulders. The constant advertising and flash points of mundane information that are consuming the time and peace of everyone who is logged into the world’s ever-increasing offerings are draining the resolve of mankind. The accumulated debts of numerous choices to buy everything and anything that would bring meaning to life, and comfort for existence, have backfired to the point that no meaning of life has been found and no comfort is attainable. Prov. 23:34 And you will be as unsteady as one who lies down in the middle of the sea, and as vulnerable to disaster as one who lies down on the top of a ship’s mast, saying, 35 “They struck me, but I was not hurt! They beat me, but I did not feel it! When will I wake up? I will seek more wine.”      

      It does not take many problems before we can find ourselves under the weight of the world. No matter the number of years we have walked with the Lord, we need to daily come to Jesus to find the strength for the day. The apostles who had walked with Jesus for three years should have had a heads-up understanding or had some inside-track information as to how to keep their peace and belief intact when a crisis came along. However, they found themselves under the weight of the world when Jesus was crucified and laid to rest in a tomb behind a massive bolder. When the events Jesus had foretold did happen, the followers of Jesus were fumbling and uncertain of what to do. They had forgotten the lessons Jesus had brought to their souls. Luke 24:6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ”       

      The weight of the world had come upon those who had believed in Jesus but were now shaken in their faith. Luke 24:17 And He said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. It was only after they had come into the presence of the risen Lord did the joy and strength of the Lord remove the weight of uncertainty and fear from their hearts and souls. Luke 24:32 They said to each other, “Weren’t our hearts burning within us while He was talking with us on the road and explaining the Scriptures to us? ” Yes, it is while Jesus is talking to us, that we get our equilibrium within our faith back on track. Unlike Sisyphus, we who are in Christ victoriously roll the boulder of doubt, fear, and unbelief over the hill to the other side where it rolls and crashes into little pieces that do not come back to crush our lives.      

      Asaph, the Psalmist, was carrying the weight of the world to the point that he became jealous of those who did not follow the laws of God. He honestly points out his shortcomings when he says in Psalm 73:2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. 3 For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. Asaph laments – that nothing is going right and it is not fair what the righteous have to go through compared to those who are filthy rich, and as well as what the arrogant toward God get away with, – it’s too hard to carry. Asaph is weighing the plight of the common man to those who have everything, and the injustice is overwhelming to think about. Psalm 73:16 When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply. He realizes that if he were to express these thoughts in words, he would ruin a generation of believers who are going through the same battle. Psalm 73:15 If I had decided to say these things aloud, I would have betrayed your people.      

      As Asaph ponders and wrestles with these thoughts, he receives a clear revelation and honest understanding of the truth after spending time in the presence of the Lord. It is only after bringing his burdens to God does the weight of the world lift from his shoulders and soul. Psalm 73:17 Then I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked. The truth of God’s word comes flooding in, washing away the doubt and misleading lies that Asaph was struggling with. His bold proclamation of God being his Lord is the result of spending time in God’s presence. Psalm 73:26 My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; He is mine forever.          

As we walk with God, let us remember that it was through Christ and His blood that we were saved and our souls were renewed to everlasting life. From now and throughout eternity, it will always be through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are His righteousness. When the weight of life tries to attach itself to our souls, it will forever be Jesus we need to bow down to so that our burden is removed. Let us take time to live in the presence of our Lord.