Hands Full, Eyes Up

Lately, my hands have been full. Full with work deadlines, family expectations, ministry obligations, and the endless running list in my head. I’ve been juggling, managing, planning, doing—all in the name of stewardship and responsibility. And yet, I’ve sensed a quiet whisper in the midst of the noise: “Lay it down.”

Have you ever been there? Carrying burdens you didn’t even realize you picked up? Maybe you’re shouldering the emotional weight of others, trying to prove your worth through achievement, or holding onto control because it feels safer than surrender. You’re not alone. I’m right there with you.

I’ve always loved the words of Jesus in Matthew 11:28–30:

"Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest... For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

But here’s the truth: I often come to Him and then walk away still carrying everything I came with. I pray, I worship, and then I pick up my to-do list again, clinging to it like a safety net. I say I trust Him—but I live like everything depends on me.

In this season, God has been gently showing me how I’ve placed my rest in my own strength:

• In the security of my calendar being well-planned

• In the affirmation I receive when I perform well

• In relationships that feel steady and safe

• Even in the identity I’ve crafted through what I do

None of these things are inherently bad. But when they become the places I look for ultimate rest, security, or worth—they quietly become burdens. And they leave me spiritually exhausted.

There’s a quiet invitation from the Lord that I’ve been learning to accept:

“Lift your eyes.”

Psalm 121:1-2 says,

"I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth."

Lifting my eyes means loosening my grip. It means laying down the burdens I was never meant to carry alone. It means exchanging self-reliance for divine dependence. Not because I’m weak, but because He is strong—and He delights in carrying what crushes me.

At the intersection of faith, work, and life, I’m learning to pause and ask:

Where is God calling me to lay it down?

Is it the pressure to be everything to everyone?

Is it the internal drive to always be "on"?

Is it the fear of disappointing others?

And then, the next question:

Where is He calling me to lift my eyes?

Is He inviting me to trust Him with tomorrow instead of scripting it myself?

Is He reminding me that His grace is sufficient for today—just today?

Is He drawing my eyes away from what I can control to Who is already in control?

I don’t have all the answers. But I’m learning, step by step, to be a woman who doesn’t just do for God, but rests in Him. To trust not in my plans, but in the finished work of Jesus. To let His version of “tomorrow” be enough.

Maybe your hands are full too. Maybe your heart is heavy and your soul is tired. If so, this is your gentle reminder: Lay it down. Lift your eyes. Trust the One who sees the whole picture and holds you in every piece of it.

Let’s walk lighter together.

Carrying less, trusting more,

M.