Please tell me that I’m not alone in this—many times throughout the day, I feel a heaviness in my stomach. It could be one of those beautiful, warm spring days like we’ve had here lately. I’ll be basking in the sunshine one moment and then feel that proverbial dark cloud around me in the next.
I don’t know what it is for you, but for me, it’s a looming remembrance of challenging times that my family is walking through. No matter what, it’s always there. That heavy feeling for me is the burden of walking through the tough stuff with them. We are wading in the mire and it is not easy.
What do you do in those moments to prevent a downward spiral?
PRAY. I know it sounds cliche and oversimplified, but it is the fool-proof way to respond so that you can be okay.
When those times come, that ache is like a gentle reminder to surrender my family and our journey to the Lord. Sometimes I don’t even have words—it’s more of a “Yes Lord, you know” mumble. I don’t think it’s the words that matter. Rather, it’s the act of surrendering. It is acknowledging that the burden you are facing is too heavy, and you need to hand it over to the one who can carry it—Jesus.
Lately, when that heaviness comes, I have been stopping (even if it is for just a few seconds) to pray and surrender it to God. And guess what? It has made a HUGE difference.
I feel lighter.
I feel more hopeful.
I feel less alone.
That experience affirms what the Bible says in Philippians 4:6-7:
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
Instead of worrying about my family, when I choose to pray and tell God what I need, the peace comes. Try the practice of stopping to pray and surrender when those dark moments come and see what happens!
Cari Kates
Director of Digital Content, STAR 93.3
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Prayer and surrender to God. This was such an encouraging word. I go through circumstances but I don’t always remember to surrender to God in prayer. God always knows what we need and he wants us to surrender and trust him.
Cari, thank you for sharing this with us. In the past, I would have been beating myself up for being so “spiritually weak” or “lack of faith” because of moments like this. I face moments like this almost daily now, as a caregiver for my husband with Alzheimer’s disease and as you have learnt to pray for a moment, I too, am learning to pray for a moment and I know and with your reassurance understand, it’s okay, I’m a mornal human and I have a strong faith in God. There’s nothing weak or lacking in leaning into God, moment by moment. Together we are strengthend and stand ready and our moments of prayer are powerful.
Thank you for this kind reminder and advice, Cari! What you described is exactly the phase of life I have been in for the past four years. You’re so right about what happens when you truly surrender and give it to God. I have been trying to do this faithfully even when I’m so disheartened and think things will never change and can only mutter a prayer and my feelings…I know He sees it all and is still working it out if only I let him walk with me in this journey instead of trying to fix it myself.