Trailer Jacks and Heavy Loads

My husband and I had to go from Johannesburg, where we live, to Cape Town recently, to help my mom move from there to a new home. She knew she would need to downsize and do away with much of her furniture and the things she’d accumulated over the years, so we travelled the 1,400 km with a large trailer in tow, in order to help her with the move. Driving to Cape Town was not so difficult, as the trailer was empty, but coming back it was loaded, and rather heavy.

My husband was able to easily manoeuvre the trailer to hook it to our vehicle, when it was empty, but once it had a load, I had to assist him to insert the trailer jack – a wheel used for supporting the front of the trailer so we could push it along, instead of having to pull it, and support its weight.

This whole process of hooking and unhooking the trailer had to be repeated several times over the few days we were fetching and carrying things to various places, and finally going back home, when the trailer was fully loaded up for moving all my mom’s things.
The Lord reminded me of 1 Peter 5:7, a scripture I’ve often meditated on when times of pressure came along. Just as that loaded trailer was far too heavy to handle without the support of that trailer jack, likewise the weight of our burdens can be a crushing weight upon us. But we were never meant to carry them alone in the first place.

This scripture says that we are to cast it ONCE AND FOR ALL on Jesus, because He cares for us affectionately, and cares about us watchfully. I realised that, even though I pray about the things that are heavy in my heart, I tend to drag the weight of it with me again when I leave His presence. I allow it to occupy my thoughts, and then penetrate my emotions, filling me with feelings of dread and negative expectations, instead of tapping into His peace which passes all understanding (Philippians 4:6-7).

God is not simply my trailer jack. He is the one who’s prepared to hook my loaded ‘life-trailer’ upon Him, and carry the whole weight of it, on my behalf. What a wonderful truth that is. Learning to get that right is a journey of learning to trust Him completely, and resting in His ways and timing. It requires taking captive those nagging thoughts which eventually translate into overwhelmed emotions. I’m encouraged to be intentional about casting my cares and concerns on Him! Why not give it a try?

Prayer: Lord, thank You that no load I may carry is ever too heavy for You. Help me to remember that You’ve invited me to cast my cares upon You, and please forgive me for not always trusting You with it. Thank You for Your compassion, and for caring for me affectionately. I love You, Lord! Amen.