There is a pile of rubble that exists in each man’s life, made from the burden of sins that have accumulated over time; of worries over past deeds that need to be addressed. Yet, because so many of these issues appear to him unresolvable, the anxiety over his troubles never really subsides. So as his life moves forward and because he hasn’t permanently dealt with any of his cares, when a new concern comes along that isn’t an easy fix, it too gets thrown atop this ‘troublesome’ heap. Then before he knows it, there is a very large load of ‘distress’ he has amassed from all of his days of toiling and striving.
For when these internal struggles exist in a person’s life and there doesn’t seem to be a simple resolution, once the initial storm settles down, oftentimes, he will set these burdens aside, hoping that if he just doesn’t think about his worries, they will go away. Yet, in his heart, he knows that eventually, he will have to examine the concerns he has tossed on this mound of increasing stress because there will be a moment when he can no longer avoid dealing with his past, as, one by one, his unrighteous choices will cry out and demand his attention through the voices of condemnation and guilt.
But how does a man triumph over such a mess? How can he rise above all that has been left undone, when in his own capacity he can’t accomplish the full forgiveness required to forever lift his burdens since this rests outside of what he holds in his own hands? So, as a result, this rather large pile of guilt just sits undisturbed, that is until one of these unwelcome memories pushes its way to the forefront of his mind forcing him to acknowledge the shambles he has made of his life. (However, in the end, he will just throw it right back into the mix of his cares in an attempt to ignore his situation again.)
Not having the capability to free himself from a single one of these burdens, a sense of hopelessness sets in his heart because he can’t figure out how to find solace from the continual unrest his sin has borne out in his heart. So now, when even the slightest remembrance of his wrongdoing arises inside, he becomes a bit overwhelmed since he’s already feeling weary due to the tension building from this oversized bundle of burdens he’s holding, which continues to weigh him further down. And so his days go, then with each successive year that passes, finding relief from this internal pressure seems more and more unlikely since all of his concerns remain unchanged.
Then thoughts of being trapped bring on the emotions of sadness and despair, causing him to exist in a life half lived, where his heart can only find a few moments of joy here and there because he cannot find comfort for his cares. For he believed the lie whispered in his ear that said, “…his circumstances would never change…”, and therefore, he should, “…just give up and not even think about finding help…”.
However, this could not be further from the truth. For once I am added to an individual’s life, there is nothing we can’t accomplish together!
Yet, there is still one barrier I won’t forcibly tear down, and that is the wall of separation a man puts between him and Me: the one he has set up to resist My presence. For letting Me in is entirely up to him. And so I will stay out of the way until he makes the decision to accept My friendship. Yet, even then, man still gets to choose how far our partnership will go and if he is willing to have Me aid him by lifting all of his burdens onto My own shoulders and bear the responsibility for clearing each one out of his life. But he must still bring these to Me for relief. So because I already hold the answers to every one of his concerns, resolving them is not dependent on him to figure out. So then, if he will seek Me and ask the question, “What is to be done?”, I will show him the way to lighten the load he has been carrying. This removes all the guesswork out of his life and as long as he follows Me, then, one by one, we can dismantle his pile of burdens by getting to the source of his struggle… which has been unbelief.
I desire for everyone to live a life that is free of worry and the strain of sin, even when intense circumstances prevail. But the only way to achieve this is to have those I love cast all their cares upon Me, as the One who is their Rescuer. This shift in thinking will achieve the long-lasting benefits of perfect peace. For once the burdens they carry are given away, what this accomplishes within is profound and something visible for others to see. Because the one who releases their concerns into My hands is no longer laden with anxiety, then there is a noticeable change in their countenance which becomes evident to those who have known them. For when their inner repose manifests itself in what they say and do, even their facial expressions are uplifted, so that what is radiating internally rises up and affects their expressions, whether or not they are standing or sitting still.
Oh, how wonderful it is when one of My own arrives at this place of trust, where he has decided his confidence is better placed in the One who is known as the Lion: the One who will go ahead and fight his battles; the One who has beaten every foe in advance so that those who are His chosen are found in victory. So then, why would anyone hesitate to call on My name? What prevents a person from making this decision if the life I am offering is so much better? Then why hesitate to accept Me as Savior?
My sacrifice was given so a man could know true freedom and be delivered from all of his cares. The gift I gave contains the promise of redemption so that a man’s whole life can be renewed. And because My blood holds the power of Grace, every past mistake can know a profitable end. Since I was aware these burdens persist in each life before I stepped up to the Cross, I knew the Covenant My death ushered in would have to cover every part of a man’s existence – past, present, and future.
Therefore when I am chosen as Savior, a man’s whole being is blanketed in My favor. So that what once seemed like a huge mound of worry and shame can easily be cleared away. Even those situations that seem irreconcilable can become harmonious through the redeeming power of My love. For nothing that is common to man goes beyond the reach of My sacrificial gift; which not only washed away man’s sin but put him back in right standing with the Father again.
And so now, each and every burden a man holds is open to experiencing the work of His mighty hand moving to produce a miraculous end, and generating with it a lasting hope and expectation in the hearts of His children. For once they have seen the Father show up and do something amazing, their hearts can be shored up in belief because they have learned to rest and simply trust in the assurance that He is working on their behalf to rewrite the past, so that what their hearts now carry is the anticipation of a future and destiny of a life that has been fully lived.
“Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” -Matthew 11:28-30