There is a story circulating

on the internet you may have seen.

A young man was at the end

of his rope and seeingno way out, dropped to his knees in prayer. "Lord,

I can't go on," he said. "I have too heavy of 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 man was filled with relief

and said, "Thank you, Lord," and he did as he was told. Upon

entering the other door, he saw many crosses, some so large the tops were

not visible. Then, he spotted a tiny cross leaning against a far wall.

"I'd like that one, Lord," he whispered. And the Lord replied,

"My son, that is the cross you just brought in."

When life's problems seem overwhelming,

it helps to look around and see what other people are coping with. You

may consider yourself far more fortunate than you imagined.

Whatever your cross, whatever

your pain, there will always be someone with you. Perhaps you may stumble,

perhaps even fall, but God's always there to help you through it all.

Throughout our ministry my

wife, Dee, and I have seen a lot of crosses and a lot of people dealing

with them. I purposely didn't say "carrying them" as this point

because some "carry" and some "lay them down" at the

first signs of any discomfort. This is what scares me about our American

churches these days. We try so hard to make people "comfortable"

rather than equip them to deny themselves, pick up their crosses daily

and follow Jesus of Nazereth. Remember him? The one that was crucified

between two thieves, and who died, was buried and rose again from the

grave for your sins and mine?

I attend on Tuesdays four meetings.

We first have our church men's breakfast at 7:30 a.m. at Chick-fil-A.

I then drive to IHOP to meet with the South Metro Pastors' Association

for another later breakfast. Then at noon I travel to our Fairburn Baptist

Association luncheon at Shoney's near Shannon Mall. Then Tuesday nights

we do home visitation in our community.

I am sharing this schedule

to show that on Tuesdays in my life, on a weekly basis, I hear a lot of

"cross" situations and how people are dealing with them. It

is truly an education.

I used to watch my mother and

father with their daily "cross bearing." I can even remember

getting angry with my mother because it appeared that people were taking

advantage of her due to her Christian spirit. I would say, "Mother,

why do you let people treat you this way and why are you putting yourself

last?" At the time I never realized that she was modeling for me

the daily "cross bearing" that Jesus was and is trying to get

across to us to understand and to do on a daily basis.

Another thing scares me that

we so want people to receive Christ that we often neglect the "cross

bearing" aspect of the faith. Then when the tsunami waves hit we

often are swept away with all the other obstacles. I will confess that

I have probably been guilty of this also.

It almost sounds unAmerican

to deny ourselves ANYTHING! After all isn't that what 5th Avenue wants

us to believe? You deserve it, Baby, no matter WHAT it is! Just do it!

The answers to "cross bearing" are found in God's word.

The Rev. Dr. Knox Herndon is

the pastor of His House Community Church (SBC) and a former Army chaplain.

The church is below Senoia on Ga. Highway 85 a mile south of Ga. Highway

16 on the right just below the fire station. Visitors welcome. Church

office and prayer line 770-719-2365; e-mail [email protected].

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