LIGHTEN THE LOAD

“But to each one of us grace has been given
as Christ apportioned it.” Ephesians 4:7

Guilt is one of the most destructive forces in a marriage. Couples become victims to their past, even if the “past” was only last week. They struggle to “believe” that God can forgive them for their mistakes or with their “worthiness” to deserve His forgiveness. Surrounded by the “devastation” of their choices, they begin to spiral out of control towards their impending fate; divorce. Absolution is the process of being set free from the “consequences of guilt.” The irony is that the “burden of absolution” can only be put down by picking up God’s gift of grace. Instead of beating ourselves up over the past or dumping our “burden” onto our spouse, we “lighten the load” when we ask God for His grace.
 
Give your burden to God - “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.” Matthew 11:28-29. It’s not always easy to give up something that we have held onto for a long time. We have to ask ourselves what “benefit” we are receiving from carrying around the burden. Although we can be pretty creative in our rationalizations, they all fail the test of being spiritually healthy for us to continue. Decide today to give your burdens to God.
 
Refuse to pick it back up. - “You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men." Mark 7:8. Jesus was being asked why His disciples were not washing their hands according to the “ceremonial” traditions of the elders. In His response Jesus said that the Pharisees were more interested in “lip service” to God than having a right heart. When we pick up the burdens that we have given to God we are just as guilty of “lip service.” Lay them down, turn around and walk away with confidence, in a new direction and with a firm grasp on the “commands of God”. Jesus summed them up in Matthew 22:37.   
 
Ask God to change you. - “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10. King David had committed a long litany of bad choices which led him into adultery and eventually to murder. When he finally confessed his sins to God he asked for help to start over with a “pure heart”. We can read all of the self-help books we want to but God is the only cure for overcoming sin in our life. He alone is the change-agent that is able to give us a new life filled to the brim with abundant blessings (John 10:10). Ask yourself if there is anything in your life that you need to change and then discuss it with God. He will have answers for all of your questions.
 
Center your life on what is good. - “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.” Philippians 4:8. A close friend of mine was sharing with me recently about the strong hold that pornography has on the men in our society, even in the church. He explained that record numbers of pastors are seeking help to break this addiction in their own lives. It has been my experience that people have to replace “any” addiction with something else. When we have too much idle time on our hands we are more apt to get in trouble. Paul explains that our time should be filled with dwelling on what is “excellent or praise worthy”. What activities do you participate in that would not be considered as excellent or praise worthy? If you are serious about dealing with the “burden of absolution” what should you change?     
 
Enjoy the peace of God’s grace. - “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7. People spend thousands upon thousands of dollars in search of peace and contentment. They will always find something else to buy or do when their last attempt falls short. God’s answer is simple; pray. Prayer bridges the gap between “existing” and truly “living”. When we give our burdens to God, refuse to pick them back up, ask for God to change our heart and then center our life on praiseworthy things we are finally able to experience the “peace of God” that “transcends all understanding”. Are you ready?   
 
The “burden of absolution” is too heavy for anyone to carry around day after day. Check your pulse this week to see if you have packed some away in your life. If you find anything, like I did, learn to let it go by replacing it with God’s “grace”. It will put a spring in your step, a smile on your face and more importantly peace in your heart. After all, with the price of fuel it only makes sense to lighten the load.