Dealing with the Grassburr

Recently, I heard my youngest son beckoning me to come to his aid.  Now, as a mom to three kids, I often try to work needs out from my current place of work or rest- being honest!  Yet, something in me knew that this plea was different.  I found him sitting on the floor with a small grass burr or sticker in his foot.  Now, in Texas, these painful burrs grow on weeds in our yards and they seem to stick to anything and everything.  They are very painful when you step on one. 

He was in pain from the experience.  I saw that, in just a few moments, I could relieve him of the pain, stress, and worry about getting it out.  However, he would not let me near the source of the pain.  He wanted me there.  He wanted my help.  He just didn't want me to touch the source of the pain.  Yet, the only way that I could bring him conclusion to it all was to touch and deal with the source of the pain- the grass burr.   Truth is, he was fearful of the inevitable pain that would come from removing it.   Fear was the real enemy here- and a possible lack of trust- because that, and that alone, was prolonging the pain he was experiencing. 




This experience made me reflect on my own experiences.  Times when I cried out to the Father to remove or deal with a painful situation I was facing only to hold Him at bay due to my lack of trust or fear of  "dealing with it".  Our Father allows us to face such trials and times for the exact plan of growing our trust, courage, and maturity.  Often these seasons will be painful, but all have purpose.  Sometimes, the pain is prolonged because we shrink back in fear- denial becomes our masquerade as we limp through a season.  He longs for genuine healing....wholeness.  We, too often, prefer to mask the brokenness than be vulnerable and required to forge into the mess that brings purpose to the pain.  He wants more for you!

"Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 NLT)

Check out the message version of this passage....





“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Matthew 11:28-30 MSG)




Too often, we read this passage and thinking that we will never face difficult or painful times, but that is not the case.  Instead, He comes and bears the weight of the burden on Himself until we reach the point of healing and wholeness.  Until that time, we find rest in His perfect peace and comfort.  He is our sufficiency to walk through today... and the following days.  I love how the message says that we will "learn to live freely and lightly."  We learn.... we learn that limping in a masquerade is a burden and yet allowing Him to walk us through that "grass burr" to healing brings rest. 




1. Are you dealing with a "grass burr"?


2. What is preventing you from dealing with it?  Is it fear?  If so, what are you afraid of?


3. Do you trust, truly, that He has your best interest at heart?  What prevents you from trusting Him wholly?




Blessings!
Julie