WHAT IT MEANS TO CAST YOUR BURDENS UNTO THE LORD

A fisherman gets ready to cast his net into the sea to catch fish.
He must throw all of the net into the sea.
The net will settle down beneath the waters.
Then, the fisherman will wait.

After a few minutes, the fisherman felt the weight of the net beneath the waters. This means that he has a great catch! This is the opportune moment for him to to pull up the net to his boat as fast as he can.

This was the picture which the Lord was telling to us when He said in His words -

"Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain you." - Psalm 55: 22

The word, "cast" here literally pertains to how a fisherman cast his net into the sea. What God meant was- when we have problems, burdens and worries, we must cast all of these to the Lord. Casting it all to the Lord means you depend on Him. Casting it all means, surrender. You are tired of them, and the only best way to do is to "throw" them all to the Lord in surrender. Casting all your care upon Him for He cares for you.

If you will not throw the net into the sea, don't expect a great catch.
Same thing, if you don't throw all of your burdens to the Lord, don't expect a great catch of blessings.
God wants you to "let go and let God." You will not get a "great catch" if you just keep it to yourself. Throw it all to God. Cry it out to God and confess, "Lord, your will, not mine be done."
Throw the net into the sea and let it settle down deep beneath the waters. Yes, cast your burdens to the Lord and let it settle there. If you have to wait, then wait for the answers. But surely since you throw it all to the Lord, God will bless your patience and your surrender.

When you cast it all, you will get a great catch.
Isn't this a wonderful and radical truth-

God uses your burdens to get your blessings.

Your burdens are but the nets on which God will use to give your break. Your bad times are but the thing that will catch the good times that are coming. If you will not cast the net, you will not get a great catch. But if you cast it all, o, expect a great catch. Use your burden to catch your blessings.

Go out there and throw the net into the sea.
Let it settle down beneath the waters.
Wait. Patiently wait.

And you feel that the net gets heavier and heavier.
It is not a sign of a problem but of a blessing.
The more it gets heavier, the more it means the blessing is bigger.
Pull it up as fast as you can, and enjoy your blessings from God.

But if you didn't throw the net, you will not have a big catch.

BE THANKFUL FOR THE THINGS YOU CAN'T DO

Oftentimes, we always gets frustrated of our inadequacies. We lament and we feel as a failure on the things we want to do but we can’t do. A person wants to paint but it is not his gift to paint and thus ends in frustration. A young man wants to explore the world but lacks the money to fulfill it. Response? Frustration. A mother wants to do everything for her kids but found herself short. An aspiring singer wants to fulfillment in her career but lacks the exposure and the equipments. Her response? Frustration.

Even you has a share of this kind of story. You want to do something but you found yourself short, inadequate and lacking. You oftentimes end up in frustration and ask “Why can’t I do it?”

But you know what?

You can be thankful even of the things you can’t do.

Why? You may ask.

For these simple reasons –

It prevents you from being proud.

We got to accept that we are not like Superman. Actually after observations of Superman, I found out that even Superman or any superheroes has limitations. We have seen how Superman has his weakness that Lex Luthor can even at times defeat him knowing that Luthor is not that super-human like him. That makes Superman - human.

And that is the purpose of your weakness, too-  to remind you that you are but human. It is a reminder for you to be humble. God said, “without Me you can do nothing.” At one time, an atheist has questioned this truth – “Why is it that  I can still do many things though I don’t believe in God?” My answer was- “Your unbelief doesn’t make God non-existent. Whether all of this world says there is no God, still God will be God. And the fact that you can do something though you don’t believe in Him, is even a favor from Him and you have nothing to be proud of.” 

So, if there are things you can’t do, be thankful for it prevents you from being proud.

Another reason why you ought to be thankful –

It prevents you from your own destruction.

God will not commit mistake in making you not to do a certain thing. A seemingly hindered event, schedule or appointment could be a disappointment to you but you actually don’t know that God has just been protecting you all the time. God will not give you something that will destroy you. So be thankful if you cannot sing like Celine Dion though you dream being like one. Be thankful if you cannot be like Manny Pacquiao. Be happy if you cannot be popular like the celebrities. You are what you are.

This leads to the reason that will inspire you –

It is pointing you on what you really can do.

Yes, on what you are really good at. Oftentimes, because we want to do many things we end up doing nothing. We cannot be Jacks of all trade. We may have a knowledge of a little bit of something but we must be good of what we really good at. The reason why you are not allowed to do a certain thing is because you are being pointed to the thing that is really meant for you.

So what if you cannot sing like Josh Groban? So what if you cannot be like Kobe Bryant? Be thankful of who you are. For sure, you can do something worthwhile. Discover it and focus on it.

And of the things you can't do, be thankful. You are just being prevented for your own good.

The God of mercy shall prevent me... - Psalm 59:10

What's The Matter? [An Encouragement to Discouraged Leaders]

I went home feeling a little bit disappointed on some things that I expect to happen.

Have you also experienced this? Have you encountered when the source of your inspiration became also the source of your desperation? I have experienced this in life and I know lots of leaders out there have also experienced this. There are instances when we ask the following questions concerning our lives, family, work and even church -

"What's the matter with them?"

"What's the matter with the organization?"

"What's the matter with him or her?"

As I arrived home, I went to my office and opened the Word as I opened my heart for counsel. This verse spoke to me -

At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the MATTER, and consider the vision. - Daniel 9:33

Radical truths, which I applied today:

When you start to ask God in prayer, it is a sign that you stopped trusting in yourself.

The moment you seek His will in the problem, God will show His power.

    What a promise! "I am come to show you." Yes, when you come to Him in prayer, He will show you greater things.

Don't forget that the challenges and issues in life never minimize God's love for you.

   An assurance: "You are greatly beloved."

The bottom line of God's counsel in this verse is, 

  "Understand the matter. Consider the vision."

Understand the matter because in understanding, there is strength. If you fail to choose to understand people's frailties, organization's setbacks, crisis and challenges, you fail to be positive in life. And when you fail to understand, you will react to work from desperation. How many leaders failed to motivate their people because they responded out from desperation when they ought to motivate people out of inspiration? 

If you choose to reach and address any matter, address the matter in the basis of inspiration and not of desperation. Desperation produces stress, further conflict and anger. Inspiration produces encouragement, high morale and good results.

Understand the matter and then, consider the vision.

Don't allow disappointments, setbacks and crisis to distract you away from your vision. You should not respond to situations with the same attitude that made it. You should go back to your vision, or to your organization's visions. Oftentimes, we fail to address the matter because we tend to devise many things to solve the issues when what we need to do is just go back to the visions already set for us and do them. This is what will solve any problem, issues and crisis. Keep on working for the vision with the fire of inspiration. You are disappointed because you focus more on the matters, which should not matter at all than on the visions. In anything that is happening, there is always a vision. It means something bigger is coming. Something greater is coming. Focus on that vision.

As I meditated this radical truth, I stood up, smiled and with a recharged soul I asked myself, 

"Whew! What's the matter with me? 

I have no reason at all to be discouraged or disappointed."