Rahula.
My Burden.

I've often pondered what would be the worst last name in the world. And I end those thinking sessions by asking God to let me marry a guy with a really great last name. haha :) Oh, then there are those first names... they can get pretty bad too. Once, in my religion class, we were taught that Buddha named his son Rahula, meaning something along the lines of "my burden." thats a pretty sad first name to be given from ur dad. (just as a side note, if ur reading this and ur name is rahula, please don't be offended, cause i honestly think the word rahula sounds awesome. its just the meaning that catches me by suprise ><)
Anyhow. i've been thinking about burdens a LOT the past few weeks. not sure when it started really.  kinda a random topic to reflect upon, but i've learned some pretty cool things :) for example, the other day i was "nomming in the caf" with a friend, (slang for eating in the cafeteria) when i guy i've recently gotten to know walked by, looking a little long in the face. after he had passed, i turned back to the friend and said "well, he looks sad today." to which my friend replied something like "you know, i've realized recently that there is a difference of being sad and being burdened."
it was a simple and slightly unrelated statement, but it stuck with me and got me thinking... is there really a difference? is one better than the other? are the both bad? or good?

and then, later in the week, as i was pondering,  i listened to the song "Hallelujah, What a Savior"
"Man of sorrows... what a name, for the Son of God... He came."
....
Even my Jesus was sorrowful.

It was a strange thought. I guess its uncommon to picture a Savior as the one sorrowful and heavy laden. But He was.
I was reminded of Gethsemane, when God's own son was face down, troubled, sorrowful.
 Burdened.
it made me wonder if my God carries burdens now.... and if i offer to help, but end up sleeping on the other side of the garden while His heart breaks for what lies ahead. and i started to wonder about His groanings, and the way He feels about those that are lost. He values them SO MUCH! and here i am almost completely.... unburdened.

where is my love for the lost?
to where have i banished my sense of soft-hearted sorrow?

a friend was telling me about getting to talk to a friend of hers that she hadn't seen in years. the talk went fairly well, but as she spoke more of the subject, i could tell there was obviously more she had wanted to speak of with her friend. she so desperately wanted to share of how her life was changed by the power of the Lord. and the more she talked the more i was deeply moved by her burden.
i want to feel so burdened.
so i started thanking God for the trials in my life, and even for the friends sharing their burdens with me. only God can lift those, so that will be cool to see.... plus,we shall get closer to Him in the i valley, i do believe. <3
so i challenge you with this, right out of the first chapter of James:
"Consider pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perserverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."