“Bebroken-1739130_960_720 careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap.” Luke 21:34

The holidays bond friends, family, and feasting together. Eat, drink, and be merry blare the jolly carols. Overindulgence can be tossed away with a carefree spirit. The average person packs on at least a pound, if not more, during this time of festivity and perhaps loneliness. Not everyone’s holiday is a Norman Rockwell painting.

Staying at the party table too long tips the scales more than we want. Doctor Luke warned about too much partying. He’d observed regret in folks who had thrown caution to the wind. Hindsight is crystal clear, albeit too late.

Luke also witnessed the downtrodden – folks weighed down by swallowing the worries of life. No parties or nibbling left them with heavy hearts. Fear, hurt, rejection – ingested by the soul, left them too heavy to move ahead. In fact, Luke warned how anxieties close in like a trap. The enemy is wise enough to plant snares when and where we’re most vulnerable to trip. Sparing embarrassment, I’ll forgo telling how many times I’ve been pulled from the locks of Satan’s devices.

How can we avoid being weighed down and trapped? Luke administers two warnings a few verses later– watch and pray. Carelessness and looking inward keeps our focus in the wrong place. Scripture warns us to stay alert and guard our hearts. We can be led astray quicker than we’d like to admit.

Is it possible to enjoy ourselves during the festivities ahead without worry? Take note how Jesus ensured a wedding reception lasted long enough for the guests to enjoy themselves. He also went out of His way to lift heavy heart-ed folks beaten down by the cares of life.

We can balance the scales of our hearts by seeking the One who created us, knows us, and is for us this holiday season and each day ahead.

Weight Gain