Life is too much sometimes.

In those moments when our hearts are stressed or hurting, we can either bring it to God or try to handle it on our own.

I've been in a "handle it on my own" kind of season. I didn't know why I just keep pushing through and going on my own when God promises to bear our burdens, except that deep down I think maybe my problems are so trivial that God doesn't care. As if maybe that promise from God to bear our burdens was for people who are battling cancer or who can't find work, but certainly not for little stressed out me. I am figuring out being newly married, have had so much change in the last year, and am dealing with anxiety in a way I never have before. This has been a wonderful and yet crazy stressful season. I don't feel like I am doing well in ANY area of life and I constantly feel behind. I just don't know how to balance it all right now. I figured if I shared all of this with God that He would tell me what everyone else has, to not make it such a big deal or to handle it. But then I discovered these verses while reading John 11:32-33 about when Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead:

"When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled"

It struck me as weird that Jesus would be deeply moved in spirit and troubled when he knew that He was about to raise his friend Lazarus from the dead. He was about to wipe all of their tears away and completely fix everything. So I reread it and noticed it was only after Jesus saw Mary and the other people upset that he was deeply moved and troubled. I am guessing he was trouble for 2 reasons:

Because these people He loved were hurting. His heart broke with them and He felt their pain even though he knew it would all be ok soon. He was present with them in their suffering.
Because He knew He was the answer to their grief and suffering if only they would trust in Him.

These revelations brought me to tears because it means GOD CARES!

He knows He is the answer and that we should choose to trust Him, but even when we don't and we hurt and we struggle and even just stress on our own, He cares and feels it with us. How is it possible that the creator of the universe cares about us in such a kind and intimate way?! He doesn't judge Mary for her emotions but is heart broken over them. That's how I know God cares about the stress in our lives. His heart breaks for us when we don't trust Him and give our struggles over to Him, but He doesn't chastise us from afar. Instead, God meets us where we are and is deeply moved for us. If what you are facing seems too small to share with God and yet it's wrecking you, know that it matters to Him! Share your heart and stress with Him and let him show you how faithful He is! [ts_fab authorid="40" tabs="bio,twitter,latest_posts"]