Making sense of "the weight of this world"

There have been a recent rash of breakdowns in my life. First the dishwasher went out, then the microwave, both having to be replaced. Not long after that we had a pipe burst and flood parts of the house requiring expensive process to dry out the floor and walls. This week the pump on our water feature died and has to be replaced. Then today, my car wouldn't start and I was 25 miles from home with a busy day ahead. The Cliffs bankruptcy also will place new financial demands.

lately i have had friends to die, some have struggled to keep a float financially to the point of losing everything. Some friends have serious health issues, some "friends" have betrayed me. I bear the burdens of others when I want to and have helped them in many ways as I could. Strangely, the more I give to others to help them, the more things in my life seem to break down and my own financial demands grow.

When peeps like me find themselves with significant headwinds, we often say we feel like we are carrying "the weight of the world".

The word "weight" can be an interesting word in this context. The Old Testament Hebrew word for something that is very "weighty" or has considerable mass is kavod. The New Testament Greek word doxa, which was used in a similar context, focused on the weight of one's opinion of another or the weight of reputation something has, the degree it is honored by us. Both words translate into the word glory.

Thus, might it be that when one feels "the weight of the world", what we are really experiencing is glorifying  the things of this world. We make things of this world carry "weight" with us. It demands our affection, we give it a place of honor in our lives. The result is anxiety, fear, disappointment, lack of fulfillment and sometimes pride!!.

God is jealous in the sense He doesn't want competition for His Glory. While He wishes us to not place the weight of honor on things of this world, He does wish to share with us His Glory. He wishes that we receive the weight of His provision and perspective. Instead of bearing His weight, He bears ours. This leaves us filled and joyful, and makes the things of this world ineffective in our soul's well being. Understanding that bearing the "weight of this world" is giving devotion to stuff, especially when compared to the deeper life issues many of my friends face, which I can help with freely when I glory in God's economy for my life.

"we have this treasure in earthen vessels. we are hard pressed on every side, we are perplexed but not in despair..... we do not lose heart. for our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal."

So, when I(we) think or feel that our life's circumstances have brought down on us "the weight of the world", remember that is not the glory we were made to receive and enjoy!!