Good Morning All! Today’s devotional comes from Brad Stewart. Brad is the Associate Director of Fitness and Wellness Education. Brad and I met in 2015 as new employees at our first Frog Camp. There is no better place to meet a new colleague! In his role, I have witnessed Brad support the TCU community by helping those he encounters become the best version of themselves. Brad is innovative, caring, a deep-thinker, and a wonderful collaborator. He loves to take walks around campus with students and colleagues. Feel free to reach out to him if you’d like to join him on a “walk and talk” sometime.
I hope Brad’s devotional prompts us to consider what it means to live anew in Christ this Lenten season amidst the burdens we carry . Many blessings to you all.
Matthew 11:30 “For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Ephesians 6:10 “Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might.”
Carrying Our Burdens
For those of you who know me, I love tattoos and I have dozens of them. Many of which are religious and/or spiritual imagery. From the time that I was a young child, probably 5 years old, I’ve always been enamored by tattoos. I remember sitting on my Grandpa’s lap tracing the lines of his old, blurry, discolored Marine tattoos he got when he was in the Korean war. Each one of my tattoos are a direct reflection of my life’s events, lessons learned, and the raw emotions of dealing with tragedy. Both of the scriptures above I have tattooed on me. During this time of Lent, I often take the opportunity to reflect on life and the breadth of experiences I have gone through. Many wonderful, and many hurtful.
It is so easy for us to take on the burden of the challenges and struggles we have; allowing these feelings to infiltrate every aspect of ourselves. But, by living in the burden of my past tragedies, it takes me away from living in the present and experiencing the joy and opportunities all around me. Jesus tells us that his burden is light. That we should not take on more of this burden than is fair. He died for us, and with that, we should be strong in the Lord and in his strength. When life feels empty, and when it feels like there may not be an end to the challenges, I regularly reflect back on the guidance, strength, and comfort I’ve received from remembering that the Lord is always there for me. No challenge is too large when I have my faith to fall back on.
Let us pray.
Dear Lord, be with us as we move through the season of lent. Give us the strength to face our challenges with confidence and hope.
Help us to reflect and learn from these moments and challenge us to not take on too much of our burden. In your name we pray, Amen.
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