Living Free

Letting go of stuff has never been easy for me, I am a pack-rat of things, emotions and yes, anger. I have learned however that in letting go of things, there is freedom...and yet every so often I forget this and I pack some "stuff" away and begin to tow them along with me, which of course, makes my load heavier and heavier until I start to falter from the weight of all I'm carrying. Perhaps some of you do the same? Regardless...this is something that I know I struggle with and God knows I struggle with, and He is not comfortable with letting me wear myself out trying to hold onto so many things that He is much more equipped to carry that I. He holds the whole world and I falter with just a few extra things on my plate, so I do recognize my obvious weakness in light of His great strength. I had a situation not to long ago where God asked me to let something go emotionally...I told Him no at first but as time wore on it was obvious the emotions that I was lugging around, were too big for me and were simply weighing me down, and not allowing me to live in the freedom that I know God intended me to live in. I know I speak a lot of freedom here on this blog, but it is because freedom is so important. Freedom from any sort of bondage, whether physical or emotional, freedom is something that all strive for, but few find. I want it. I want to hold, keep it, and wrap it around my neck so that I don't ever loose it. Thankfully, I know that as God inhabits me, I possess freedom and it's available to me, but I have to act as though I am free. It's as if I know the gate is open, and yet I still run around in circles in my cage...that's not true freedom!
That's claiming something and then not showing proof in life that you own it! Do I own freedom? Or am I still tied down by my inability to let go, and let God take over. Sadly, many days, I forget that God is there to take over for me, and I live in my cage, with the gate open, but never walking out into the fresh air.
Granted, I will admit, I have weathered a difficult emotional time here this past season, but God has been telling me for many days now, that my cage door is open...and yet, here I sit. Acting as though I am locked up. Wearing my heavy load of burdens and washing my feet with my tears. This is not how I was intended to live, nor you my friends. So, this week, I've let a few things go. My stress has begun to deplete and rest in beginning to return to my soul...
Do you ever find yourself saying, "Life shouldn't have to be this hard?!" Well, know that you are not alone. I sit in my car as I'm heading to and fro about my business each day, and I've made a point to look around me and see how people look, (happy, down...) as they are by themselves in their cars...Do you know what I see? A lot of sad faces. Why is that I think? Here is what I've come up with...we are so burdened. We are heavy laden! We are exhausted. The life has been sucked out of us because number one, we are too weak to stand, and number two, in that weakness, life has lost it's joy and purpose. Now, the two major things we find when we find Christ are these, joy and purpose!!!! SO many of us walk around believers and non-believers alike, as though we do not have the freedom of Christ! Some of us hold the keys to freedom only we refuse to use them, and some of us have yet to take Christ up on His offer for our own set of keys that will unlock the door of our cage...
Do you know where you fall in that? Where do you sit? Is the joy gone? Have you lost your purpose? Does every day feel the same????? I've been there! It's not fun! But friends! There is an answer! And by now, you must know His name. My cell was opened years ago...and yet here I sit! What holds us down? What weighs us down? The inability to let go, and let God, to hand Him it all. And I mean, everything. Your fears...your pain...your kids...your husbands...your wives...your jobs...your emotions...your anger towards another...your insecurities...your very life.
When all of that is in His hands...what are left with? The peace of knowing, all our "stuff" is in good hands. So truly...we do not worry about tomorrow...we do not worry about what we will eat, or drink or wear...or more properly put, where your children will got to school...or how you will pay that bill...or if this pain in your life will ever end? He is big enough to hold it all. And just knowing that bring joy to my step. Having trouble keeping your house clean? Tell HIM!!! Having a difficult time with your attitude with your co-workers??? Tell Him! Having a hard time loving your spouse? Tell Him. He longs to carry what He already knows bogs you down, and me down. I don't know about you, but I'm starting today. He's going to get an ear full, but it's not anything He doesn't already know, but He wants me to offer it up to Him. That's part of the freedom....I pray these words encourage any and all of you today, and that today may be a day where you too can let some stuff go!