Monday, April 14, 2014

Burdens … and burdens


There are burdens placed on us by God and there are burdens we pick up ourselves. I have some of both, how about you?

One burden I know God has put on me is to get this book written, the “book” that so many have prodded me to write based on my personal journey through breast cancer treatment that I’ve shared through my blog.  I had begun over two years ago with an outline and wrote much of it.

Then it lay fallow for a year and a half.

Like collecting stones or shells on the beach, I started picking up other burdens I shouldn’t have that slowed me down, halting forward movement. Of course, you wouldn’t know what I’m talking about. Or would you?  

When I am walking on the beach (done all too seldom in my estimation) I cannot help myself, my eyes are fixed downward searching for interesting shells or pebbles. I usually collect a mitt full, chiding myself for not thinking to bring a bag to hold my treasures. It happens every time.

I think a similar thing is going on when I pick up the burdens I shouldn’t be collecting. My eyes are looking down rather than up at my goal. By keeping my eyes on the goal ahead, I will not see the tempting burdens at my feet. I will not get waylaid by a diverted focus on collecting them. I will maintain my forward motion toward my goal.


But what a discipline (and few like that word) it is to keep the gaze forward not downward! How to do it?

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