Jesus says “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
I am promised that the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard my heart and my mind in Christ Jesus when I cast my burdens and anxieties upon Him in prayer.
My heart is thickly callused by life lived in the presence of evil.
A callus is a thickened or hardened skin
that forms over a wound caused by friction.
We often think first of callused hands earned from hard work.
But these are not the calluses I’m speaking about.
I’m not speaking of flesh and blood, but of spirit and of heart.
As God’s child, with the Holy Spirit dwelling inside me,
I am automatically at war with this world
where the presence of evil and darkness are ever present
and where Satan prowls around, hungry and determined,
like a roaring vicious lion seeking someone to devour.
I am commanded to humble myself under the mighty hand of God
and to cast my anxieties and my troubles upon Him.
I am commanded to be firm in my faith and to resist the devil..
“to keep my appetites and passions under proper restraint and government,
aware of the subtle and malicious designs of my spiritual enemies”.
I am reminded that the victory that overcomes this world is faith in Christ Jesus.
So when I speak of a callused heart, I speak of the product of this war,
where I have chosen my own failing weapons instead of the armor of God.
When I refuse to humble myself before the Almighty One,
there is friction.
When I choose to carry my own burdens and neglect surrender,
there is friction.
When I walk my own path instead of following the leading of the Spirit,
there is friction.
When I react in situations out of my fleshly selfishness and not love,
there is friction.
When I trust myself and don’t whole heartedly trust my Savior,
there is friction.
When I find confidence and security in people and not God,
there is friction.
When I am disobedient to the commands of my Father,
there is friction.
When I dwell in the darkness instead of the light,
there is friction.
These frictions, these wounds, these calluses,
These layers upon layers
cover my heart.
I have lived and struggled with this wounded heart,
and accepted it for what I imagined it would always be.
But Christ is peeling back these layers
and helping me see why they’ve formed the way they have.
He’s showing me the truest form of my heart beneath
and what He has intended for it to be.
This process requires surrender and is followed by redemption.
I often have chosen to carry the weight of the world,
but I see now what a disrespect that is to Jesus Christ.
God came in the flesh to do that for me.
He bore the weight of the world on the cross
so that I wouldn’t have to.
It’s too heavy for any human to bear,
so he expects me to cast those burdens at His feet.
He commands me to trust Him with my whole heart,
to not lean upon my own understanding,
to acknowledge Him in all my ways,
for He promises to direct my path.
I am resting in these commands,
I am resting in these promises.
His Word is steadfast and true.
I can choose to walk in pride and trust only myself
or I can choose to walk in a path of surrender and trust my King.
I choose surrender.
This prayer recorded by a puritan a long time ago
still rings true today and is the prayer of my heart now.
“O God Most High, Most Glorious, The thought of thine infinite serenity cheers me, for I am toiling and moiling, troubled and distress, but thou art forever at perfect peace. Thou brings order out of confusion, and my defeats are thy victories: The Lord God omnipotent reigneth. I come to thee as a sinner with cares and sorrows, to leave every concern entirely to thee, every sin calling for Christ’s precious blood; Revive deep spirituality in my heart; Let me live near to the great Shepherd, hear His voice, know it’s tones, follow its calls. Keep me from deception by causing me to abide in the truth, from harm by helping me to walk in the power of the Spirit. Give me intenser faith in the eternal verities, burning into me by experience the things I know; Lord, help me, for I am often lukewarm and chill; unbelief mars my confidence, sin makes me forget thee. Let the weeds that grow in my soul be cut at their roots; Grant me to know that I truly live only when I live to thee, that all else is trifling. Thy presence alone can make me holy, devout, strong and happy. Abide in me, gracious God.”
