Carrying a Load

In my recent travels of going to and from Houston to help my in-laws after their house fire and then a recent trip to Garland to move my oldest daughter, I have been hauling a lot of things in my pickup.  I made a realization, my truck rides better when I am carrying a load.  Pickups were made that way and designed to haul something.

In the last week, listening to Andrew Heard's testimony and seeing how he is bearing up under the load of advanced stage cancer I made another realization.  It was confirmed on another day last week when I had back to back meetings with two different members with two very different hardships in their lives, yet each were taking their trial and turning into a ministry.  My realization is this - Christians are made to carry a load.  God has designed us to "run" better when we are trusting Him to help us in the trials of life.

When we depend on God to turn our hardships into opportunities to minister to others, it is amazing how strong we become.  Of course, it is not our strength but His "power made perfect in [our] weakness" as Paul said in speaking of his "thorn in the flesh" in 2 Corinthians 12:9.

I have a lot to learn from these people about following God through hardships and how to  know His strength in my weakness, but I am glad I have seen what God can do in them.  Where is someone around you bearing up under a load and making it into a ministry opportunity?  I think there probably is someone in your life you can learn from - even if you don't drive a pickup.

For the journey...

Tim