Personal Challenge #5 Forgiven, Healed, Unburdened, Purified, Restored (Part 3)

Unburdened

Relieve the troubles of my heart
and free me from my anguish.
Look on my affliction and my distress
and take away all my sins.
Psalm 25:17-18

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30

My sin had weighed me down through a yoke of slavery and burdened me – I carried a burden (baggage) of residue from all the experiences. All the experiences of my past had become a part of me and influenced how I carried myself, how I saw myself, how I thought others saw me. When I committed to make different choices and follow God’s path, who I was before still played like a movie reel in my mind. This was a heavy burden I felt very tangibly. In layers, as I opened my hands around this past that I was clutching onto, Jesus took it, and showed me that before Him, I was utterly forgiven. He showed me that He saw me as if those choices had never been made.

Journal Entry, Age 25
My friend shared a picture she saw when we prayed: You were encouraging me to GIVE YOU the huge bag that I’d been dragging around with me for so long. All You wanted me to carry was a flower. You held out a flower for me to take – with fuchsia petals and a bright yellow center.

When memories come back and haunt you, or try to trick you into thinking you’ll benefit from sitting with them and replaying them, remember that Jesus took them when He took that burden at the cross. He took all those experiences that weighed you down, and gave you His light and easy burden in its place (in my case, a flower!).*

Many people spend their lives being angry over what was done to them. As followers of Jesus, we can actually be washed, be free, LOVE our enemies; where memories have NO HOLD ON US ANYMORE.

Are you still carrying around a bag from your past? What’s in your bag?
● Things you’ve done
● Things you’ve seen
● Things done to you
What is God asking you to do with your baggage? Ask Him what He’s asking you to carry instead?

Restored

“He restores my soul.
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
for the sake of His name.”
Psalm 23:3

Restore us, Lord God Almighty;
make your face shine on us,
that we may be saved.
Psalm 80:19

“I have swept away your offenses like a cloud,
your sins like the morning mist.
Return to me, for I have redeemed you.”
Isaiah 44:22.

*This theme continues in Personal Challenge #9