"Casting all your care upon Him,
for He careth for you."
- I Peter 5:7

I thought I could handle it by myself.

My wife and I were carrying some things inside to our hotel room, from our truck, which was parked across the parking lot. She was inside and I grabbed up a few of the packages.  No problem.  They were kind of bulky, but weren't too heavy.

I noticed that there were only a few packages remaining in the truck, so I picked up a couple of more packages.  These were a bit heavier and I could feel the strain.

One package remained...

...and I made the mistake of planting it on top of everything I was already carrying.

I turned and walked as briskly as I could towards the hotel room.

I had not walked very far when my back really began to hurt.  My legs started burning and my arms began to shake from the strain.  I was huffing and puffing like the out of shape person I am.

I was almost there.

Then, I saw the stairs.  I forgot about the stairs!

With a great deal of difficulty, I made it up the flight of stairs only to recall a second fact that I had forgotten...

...as second flight of stairs!

I was really struggling at this point.  My face was beet red, and, even though it was 20 degrees outside, my forehead was covered in sweat.  I began to get really weak.  I was walking hunched over from the load. 

It was just more than I could bear.

I reluctantly started up the second flight of stairs.  One step. Two steps.  Three steps.  I wasn't going to make it to the top.  It just wasn't possible.  Just as I was about to collapse from exhaustion...

...I heard my wife's voice.  "Let me help you with that."  She took several packages from my hands and the weight was lifted.

I felt like a new man!

You know, sometimes we find ourselves in similar spiritual situations.  We get weighed down with the pressures and  worries of this world.  Oh, they don't seem like that much at first.  Kind of like a small package.  We can handle it, right? 

Then, another pressure is added on.  Then, another, and another and another.  Soon we are carrying a load of problems, hardships and struggles.  Soon we are loaded down with a multitude of worries, anxieties, pressures and stresses.

And so, we begin to get really weak from the burdens. We trudge on and on as best we can, making little progress and growing worse by the minute.  Spiritual sweat breaks out on our foreheads...

...we're walking hunched over by this time!

Christian, there is no reason why we should try to handle it ourselves.  The Bible says in I Peter 5:7, "Casting all your care on Him, because He careth for you." 

You see, Jesus doesn't want us to carry around burdens and cares that wear us out spiritually.  He doesn't want us to be worried and fearful and anxious.  He wants to take from us those things that weigh us down.

Christian, whatever you are struggling with today, you can find relief in Christ Jesus.  Whatever hardship or burden that you are carrying, it can be lifted right now.  It doesn't matter what has you worried or fearful or anxious, if you will listen quietly you will hear the Lord Jesus whisper something sweet and special and burden lifting to your heart...

..."Let me help you with that."