Last time, in “Slowing Down”, we saw through Diego, an unusual horse who loves to go… fast … that in order to be an effective soldier in God’s army, we need to learn to let God be in control! There is one more lesson that screams at me each and every time I ride Diego, and that comes to me through my aching arms.
I’m not strong in the best of times. My bi- and tri-ceps have never been given the chance to adequately develop, and I have very little core balance or strength. Needless to say, trying to keep the “go-ey” Diego under my control not only leaves me breathless, but it also leaves me with very sore arms!
I made some kind of a comment about this in the presence of my riding instructor; but her response took me by surprise. “You should never leave the arena with sore arms!”
Wait. What? My riding instructor also happens to be Diego’s owner. She has ridden Diego. She knows about his desire to … go! I thought that maybe my achy arms could get a little sympathy from someone who would understand. I certainly didn’t expect … that response!
“You are trying to do all the work with your arms,” she continued.
Well, yes. But my arms were what was connected to the hard mouth of this horse! What body part was I supposed to use???
“You need to use your body. When you try to slow him down, throw your weight down into the saddle and dig your feet into the stirrups, then your body can take the brunt of the work, and not just your arms!”
You know something? It actually works! When I remember to follow her suggestion, I don’t leave the arena with achy arms!
This reminds me of another “body part” that gets awfully sore, especially in the middle of trials.
You know what I mean! The harder the trials, the more our stamina just seems to drain away. How can we even be expected to face months, even years of draining trials? Wouldn’t anyone be exhausted by the day to day existence?
I am currently in the trial of a lifetime as I am forced to stand by and watch my husband’s cognition drain away. When I went through cancer 13 years ago, I was sure that that was the trial of a lifetime, and I sincerely hope that no one has to go through any worse trials than cancer! I learned something through cancer, however, something that I strive to remember as my husband and I go through dementia together: I can’t make it through. I am too weak! After just a few days of intense trials, I am all used up. There is nothing left. Meanwhile, God tells us, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness…For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9a, 10b NASB)
God doesn’t ask us to live our lives with aching spirits and drained stamina! Rather, Jesus says, “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 NASB)
This idea actually wasn’t new to Jesus. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit hundreds of years earlier, David wrote, “Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” (Psalms 55:22 NASB). The Apostle Peter also reiterates this idea: “…having cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares about you.” (1 Peter 5:7 NASB).
The point is, just like my poor arms aren’t meant to take the brunt of slowing down Diego, we are not meant to carry the burden on our own! Jesus asks us to surrender our troubles to Him. He asks us to give Him our worries.
Now that doesn’t mean we say, “God, please take this problem!” and then we continue to carry it ourselves! Total surrender results in total peace of heart and mind and soul. It means we actually have to … give … the problem to Him, to … allow … Him to carry it, to carry us! Rather than relying on our weak and aching arms, we have to press in to Him! We have to let Him take the brunt of everything! For when we do, we will not be shaken. We will experience Jesus’ gentle and humble heart, and we will find rest for our souls!
I have yet to master the art of letting my body slow down Diego. And I will admit that even after the cancer trial, even after 7 years into the dementia trial, I still forget and try to carry it all on my own. When I do remember to surrender, however, what peace! what rest!
Father, help us to surrender our problems to you! Help us to stop trying to carry them on our own, but instead, to rest in You and let You do the work, through us! May we always remember that Your strength is … perfected! … in … our … weakness!
This is the last lesson from this sweet but “go-ey” horse, Diego; but I encourage you to remember him the next time you feel burdened by the worries of life. Remember to stop trying to rely on your own strength, and instead, to lean in to God, and let His strength be perfected in your weakness!
In His love,
Lyn
Lynona Gordon Chaffart
Author, Moderator, Acting Director, Answers2Prayer Ministries
