"How I plead with God, how I implored his mercy, pouring out my troubles before him. For I am overwhelmed and desperate, and you alone know which way I ought to turn to miss the traps my enemies have set for me. There's one - just over there to the right! No one gives me a passing thought. No one will help me; no one cares a bit what happens to me. Then I prayed to Jehovah. 'Lord,' I pled, 'you are my only place of refuge. Only you can keep me safe. Hear my cry, for I am very low. Rescue me from my persecutors, for they are to strong for me'" (Psalm 142:1-6).
Sometimes we tend to think that other people's lives are so easy. Like they don't have a care in the world. We look at their life and they appear to be living on Easy Street. Their life appear to be so easy and carefree. We begin to think, "If only my life could be so easy," or "If only I could be like them," or "Why is my life filled with so much sorrow and pain?" We wonder, "Why is my cross so heavy when everyone else's cross seems to be so light?"
One person's cross (life) can look ooh so beautiful, filled with rich jewels and covered in gold. The other person's cross (life) may look like it's covered with beautiful flowers. Sometimes we envy those who are rich with their golden cross covered with jewels, but we don't know how heavy their cross may be. We don't know their story nor could we walk in their shoes. That person whose life seems so lovely and covered with beautiful flowers, beneath those flowers could be some piercing thorns, that are tearing at their skin.
Just the other day I read a story titled, "Is Your Cross Too Heavy To Bear," and I would like to share it with you:
A young man was at the end of his rope. Seeing no way out he dropped to his knees in prayer. "Lord, I can't go on," he said. "I have too heavy a cross to bear." The Lord replied, "My son, if you can't bear its weight, just place your cross inside this room. Then open that other door and pick out any cross you wish." The young man was filled with relief. "Thank you Lord," he sighed, and he did what he was told. Upon entering the other door, he saw many other crosses, some so large the tops weren't even visible. Then he spotted a tiny cross leaning against the far wall. "I'd like that one Lord," he whispered. And the Lord replied, "My son, that is the cross you just brought in." (Source unknown)
God knows best what cross we can bear. We don't know how heavy other people's crosses are. If you could try on other people's crosses, thinking that their cross is lighter than yours, you would discover that not one of them will suit you as well as your own. Our cross is meant just for us. We need to stop comparing our cross to someone else's cross.
In life you will experience tribulation, trouble, and trials. We become so focused on how large and heavy our cross is and how tired we are from carrying our cross, that we can't see God's outstretched hand reaching out to help us carry our own cross. That painful hardship, whether it is short-term or permanent, is out of our control. We should always keep our eyes and hopes in God, and believe that He can see us through anything. We have a God that is always watching over us. Our God is Omnipotent, which means He is all-powerful. He is Omniscient, which means He is all-knowing. He is Omnipresent, which means He is all-present. God is aware of our every one of our circumstances, and He is aware of the heaviness of our cross.
That cross you are caring is not meant to hinder, hurt, or wound you. God is using that cross to get you where you need to be. He is helping you reach your God given destiny. It is called God's Divine Providence. Our greatest growth often comes during our most difficult moments. One thing I want you to know, without a cross to bear, you will never reach your full potential nor receive that mind blowing blessing that God has prepared for you.
The Lord will never give you a cross or situation that you can't handle. He never promised us that we can have the opportunity to pick our own cross, but He did tell us that He would help us bear it. God will never put more on you than you can bear.