Resist to the point of shedding blood?

I was thinking today that we have such an, "I can do it" culture. That is what we are taught. Never admit you can not do it, or you will not get the promotion, the applause or the prize. Our culture loves winners and we hate losers as George C Scott said at the start of the movie, "Patton."

So what are you to do? Keep adding on and adding in? Keep bearing a heavy load? "You can do it, and if you can't there is someone else who can!"

Now there is a truth. If you admit you can't do it, there is someone else who can. Jesus. He is built to bear burdens. In fact He wants us to cast ours at Him. We just have to admit that we can not do it. Admit failure. Admit inability. Admit defeat. Admit that you are worn out trying to hold it up by yourself. It is that theme of surrender we have been working with this week.

When you and I do, the burden goes...unless you grab it back and start slugging your way up the hill again saying, "I think I can, I think I can." You can't. Jesus can.

Now here is the paradox. Stepping back and "letting Jesus" may be harder then carrying the load. It is easier to take a few more steps with the weight then to admit defeat and recognize you are not powerful, you are not independant, you are just a child, who is dependent.

Hard to do. I encourage you to not wait until you are too worn out by the burden because that is the time you give in to temptation. Give up now. Worship Well.