There’s an old saying that if you want to eat an elephant, you take one bite at a time. When suffering seems to overwhelm, the tendency is to withdraw instead of taking the next bite. Maybe you don’t interact with friends as much. Maybe going to a movie seems more laborious than it’s worth. Maybe the job feels like nobody cares about you and you just don’t want to do it anymore. Maybe the enemy is whispering lies in your ear like, “You’re not good enough.” or “Why even try? It’s hopeless.” These feelings weigh us down and sometimes we feel like we are left fighting alone.
First, let me encourage you by saying you are never alone. God is always there with us, even in our darkest valleys where we need Him the most. Consider what David writes in Psalms 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” That word, “ever-present,” is so powerful. It means God isn’t distant or delayed; He is right there in the middle of the chaos with you. That chaos might be in a court room waiting for a judge to determine your fate. Maybe you’re a patient in the emergency room waiting for a doctor to figure out where the pain is coming from. Maybe you’re sitting in a waiting room waiting for that doctor. Regardless of your circumstances, sometimes it just feels like too much.
I love where Jesus extends a personal invitation to the weary in Matthew 11:28-30: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” He doesn’t shame you for feeling overwhelmed; He invites you to hand over the heavy load. His strength becomes yours when your own runs out. The yoke he talks about is an oxen’s yoke used in farming. It was heavy burden and hard work for the ox. For Jesus to say His yoke is easy and a light burden in comparison is a promise He will carry your load, if you let Him.
There are simply times when we are faced with an elephant that we can’t eat on our own. Just take the next bite. Just hang on and do the next right thing. God is with you and He will carry your burdens if you let Him.