Come to Me All You Who Are Weary

I once heard about George McCauslin, who was a director for a large YMCA. He was a bright guy, energetic – supposedly one of the best in his field. For a while, he was running a Y outside of Pittsburgh and he found himself working 85 hours a week. He was getting little sleep at night, and he rarely took time off. A counselor told him that he was on the verge of burnout and he had to somehow learn to let go. But he didn’t have any idea how to do that.

So, George took an afternoon off, took a pad and paper, and took a hike in the woods. As he walked through the cool mountains, he could just feel the tension in his body start to relax. He sat down under a tree, and for the first time in months, he felt relaxed. He got out his pad and paper and wrote God a letter. He said, Dear God, Today I hereby resign as General Manager of the universe. Love, George.

I’ve heard that when he tells that story, he gets a big smile on his face and says, “And wonder of wonders, God accepted my resignation.”

Have you ever felt like you had to be the General Manager of the Universe? Have you ever felt like you need to be in control of all that happens around you? Or, have worry and anxiety ever gripped you. If so, today, find a quiet place to relax and write your resignation. Don’t worry. God will resume command!

Let us pray: Loving and Gracious God, we remember that Jesus said, “Come to me all you who are weary and carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest…” We come to you now. We give you our burdens, our anxiety, our fear. We give you our lives and even our need to be in control.  Help us to trust you, and to trust that our lives rest in your hands. We ask in Jesus’ name.  Amen.