Are You Weighed Down? (#OneMinuteMondays)

Have you noticed that our culture is a bit crazy? Maybe you would say that this observation is an understatement. For sure, life provides many opportunities to suffer. In fact, if you were to take what Jesus said as signs of His Second Advent, you will notice that many of those things may be evident in these days. No doubt, as followers of Christ who pay attention to world events and the Bible, we recognize that God’s plan for the end of the age includes everything we see around us. With this in mind, here’s my question: are you weighed down?

Jesus Warns Us as We Head toward the End

Jesus explains to His followers the importance of how they lived as the end of the age approached. Notice this strong admonishment to them:

³⁴ “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. ³⁵ For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. ³⁶ Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:34-36)

Jesus explains that each of us who follow him are to practice self-counsel. Take heed to our own individual hearts. Why would Jesus remind us of this? I think for three specific reasons.

First, He knows that it is easy for us to look at the problems in the world and the church and blame others for them. We can be so quick to blame the people in the world and maybe even others in the church that we fail to see our own responsibility for evil.

Second, when waiting long-term for the return of Christ, Jesus knew it would be easy to get weighed down by things of the world. He uses two extremes (carousing and drunkenness) to introduce it before the general “cares of this life” statement.

Third, He desires us to watch, pray, and persevere in this present age. As things get worse and, in some ways, more scary, Jesus explains He wants us looking upward and outward as we wait His return.

Are you weighed down?

Once again, notice His statement: “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down…” In the process of awaiting the return of Christ, Jesus knew that we could easily get weighed down by things of this earth and world. We could possibly live for what is temporal rather than eternal, present rather than future, and transitory rather than eternal. Yet, Jesus desires us to live for Him rather than the things of the world.

Take heed lest your heart be weighed down…

Is that the case with you?

What can you do about it this new work day and week?

May we live for Jesus, persevering in these difficult times, praying, and serving Jesus rather than the things of this world.