This is the last message in my marriage series “Two Are Better Than One.“  This is also the last blog I will be posting until September. I will be offline during the month of August.

In the last marriage message, I talked about the importance of remaining in God’s love. I explained how when I allow the busyness of life to get in the way of my relationship with Christ, I begin to lose my joy and it affects my marriage.

The busyness of life can also get in the way of our relationships with our spouses. We live in a fast-paced world.  In my husband’s workplace every job he receives is considered “hot” and due right away.  Just this past weekend, after working long hours, my husband had to help other people with things they needed done “right away.” By the time he went to bed last night, he was burnt out. And today he has to start another week of it all over again. I told him last night that it’s okay to tell people “no.”

Last school year, I said “yes” to too many things, and by May I was not only completely burnt out, but I saw a huge downward spiral in my children and marriage. When we are too busy we let things slip. We ignore the little issues because we are too busy to deal with them. After time, those little issues grow into bigger issues. And by then, we are often too tired to fix them.

The devil seeks to wear us out (Daniel 7:25, KJV). He wants us busy to keep us distracted from his tactics. But thank God that we are not unaware of his schemes. God is our help. When we are worn down, God will renew our strength and lift us up. He will help us fix those issues and help us to be more alert and stand against them in the future.

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 40:30-31

One of the reasons I am taking off next month is to prayerfully reorganize my schedule for the coming school year, so I don’t have the same thing happen next year. God has to frequently remind me that Jesus’ burden is light and His yoke is easy. The burdens of this world are heavy and hard. The Bible instructs us, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2).

We are not to follow the pattern of the world and give into its demands. When we say “yes” to the demands of this world, we say “no” to God and “no” to our families. Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).  If you are stressed out and don’t have time to deal with the issues in your marriage and your family, ask God to reorganize your schedule and follow only the things that He gives you peace about.  Don’t worry about disappointing  others. God comes first. Then your spouse. Then your family. And then others.

“Come to me, all you 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 easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30

Heavenly Father,

We praise You that Your burden is light. Help us to take Jesus’ yoke upon us and learn from Him by renewing our minds in Your Word daily. Show us the things we don’t have peace about, and help us lay those things down and follow only Your will. Help us deal with the issues in our lives and our marriages instead of ignoring them. Give us Your strength to continue standing against the devil’s tactics and not allow him to destroy our marriages. We praise You that He who is in us is greater and stronger than he who is in the world. You are our strength!

In Jesus’ faithful name, we pray. Amen!

*See you back here in September!

Regretfully, Iâ€ve said the same thing to God when Iâ€ve been overwhelmed and burdened with ministry or family needs. But God reminds me that His burden is light. When Iâ€m overwhelmed, Iâ€m carrying my own load, not His.

Jesus said, “Come to me, all you 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 easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30

Lifeâ€s demands are not the only thing that can weigh us down, but trying to live a godly life can be burdensome if we are carrying our own load. I just ended a series on sin that Godâ€s Word warns us to be on guard against. Godâ€s Word shines a light in our hearts revealing the areas where we fall short. Sometimes it can be overwhelming when we read His Word because we fall short in every area.

From the start, God has led me to do these series to teach me, and to help others, focus on only one area at a time. Two of my series have been turned into devotional books. Even though I wrote the books, I still use them to help me in the areas I fall short. I only focus on one area for the whole week, reading, meditating, and praying the Scriptures I found on that subject. Iâ€ve been falling a lot in my love walk lately, so Godâ€s led me to go through my love walk book. This week, in my quiet time with God, Iâ€m only studying Scriptures that deal with “kindness.”

I am telling you this in humility, not to promote myself or my books, but to encourage you that Godâ€s commands are not burdensome (1 John 5:3). The Bible says “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. … Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16, 25).

Surely Godâ€s Spirit is not leading us in a hundred different directions. When we walk, we take one step at a time. Walking with Jesus and learning from His Holy Spirit one step at time will greatly take the burden off us and help us enjoy our walk with Him.

Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Psalm 55:22, KJV

Heavenly Father,

We praise You that Your commands are not burdensome. Youâ€ve given us everything we need to live a godly life in Christ Jesus. Help us lay down our burdens at the feet of Jesus and learn from Him one step at a time. In His name we pray, Amen!

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