January 13, 2023

Lean Into Jesus

father holding child on beach overlooking oceanSarah Kanz | October 3, 2021

 

“When life is hard, lean into Jesus.”

This is my motto, based on Psalm 37. [And Psalm 91, John 11:28–30, and John 15.]

My motto does not say “pray more,” “spend more time reading the Bible,” “work harder,” or “do better.”

This is not about me pragmatically improving myself.

It means just what it says: lean into Jesus. Rest yourself in Him. Spiritually, mentally, emotionally, deliberately cast all your cares on Him, every weight that ties you to earth with its sorrows and perplexities.

All the things. All the people. All the politics. All the evil. All the fighting. All the hypocrisy. All the feelings.

Everything frustrating, annoying, uncontrollable, demonic, oppressive, worldly, carnal, misguided, petty.

Personal and impersonal.

Dump it all at Jesus’ feet and leave it for Him to deal with as He will.

You don’t need to carry any of it. You don’t have to fix any of it for yourself or anyone else. You don’t even need to carry yourself. Be the lamb that the Good Shepherd carries safely from danger and heals. Be at rest in His kind hands, even when it hurts.

Lean into Jesus. Then lean more, until He is holding all of your weight. Until He has all of you. Keep leaning. Keep leaning into Jesus.

He is able. He is willing.

  • Fret not.
  • Trust Him.
  • Rest in Him.
  • Wait on Him.
  • Delight in Him.

Come to Him for rest and learn from Him. Walk in tandem with Him in His yoke, so the burden becomes bearable and there is no chafing.

Marvel at His ability to handle all the things of this life and of eternity, so you don’t have to.

Lean into Jesus.