When the burdens of life have gotten particularly difficult (I believe the original Biblical language translates that as “crapstorm”), instead of leaning even more on Jesus, at times I’ve unconsciously fallen back into thinking I have to generate faith, hope, and love in my own strength. I get progressively disappointed, discouraged, and displaced, until I lose all sense of myself, everyone, and everything.
But as soon as I remember faith, hope, love, joy, peace, kindness, and goodness are all unceasing graces of God, then the burdens I’ve taken on myself get put back on him. I’m free to breathe, think, live, and deal with every difficulty with him. Circumstances change from being overwhelming constraints to opportunities to grow in progressively greater revelations of his faithfulness, hope, and love.
Just a thought.
Equip Your Spirit 