heavy lifting .

This is another devotional-inspired wisdom post that gets emailed to me from a site called GodSpeaks.com. Here's the quote:

"That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
--2 Corinthians 12:10

I love that line, "for when I am weak, then I am strong.


The reflection portion of the devotional tells a story about a guy who moves heavy gym equipment around all day, transporting it to new locations and whatever else. At some point though, there is bound to be something that is just too heavy, and you're going to need help with it. And there's no escaping that. No matter how strong you are physically or mentally eventually there is just going to be something that breaks your back, something that is just too much.

At times like those, we can't be ashamed to ask for help. Whether it's just someone to listen to us vent or someone to physically help us or someone to just emotionally be there, it will help. I think that we as a race are born with a necessity of interaction and at the very least, minimal dependence on others to help us when we struggle. I'm pretty sure there have been stories of people literally dying of loneliness because they've just been too deep for too long, and have had to deal with it all alone. And so we really do need each other, and need to be there for each other. Cut too many people out of the equation, and you're left with nothing but your thoughts.

The last part of the reflection says "So if you're feeling tired, weak, or heavy-burdened today, take heart. The Lord is strong and He never tires. Give your cares to Him, and He will give you rest."

With finals just around the corner and the crunch time at the end of the semester upon students nationally and globally, I don't think that there could be any better advice than that for today.