CLEARING AWAY BURDENS

CLEARING AWAY BURDENS

I had four stacks of papers and folders on my desk, going back several months: insurance papers, home warranty papers, medical folders, union notices, articles on artworks, and so much more. Then, when I retired, I decided it was time to reclaim my desk. In my mind, the task was huge! I didn’t realize how much these items weighed on me until I cleared them away—what a relief. What looked like a monstrous task only took a couple of days! Did you know that all physical items can have a “voice” and affect us positively or negatively? Take a look at what’s around you right now. How does each item make you feel?

 

In removing the items from my desk, I got a new revelation from Isaiah 58:6. It reads: “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?”

 

Things, places, and people can all be bands of wickedness for us and heavy burdens. They can oppress us and make us feel like we have a yoke on us. God’s will is for us to be free. But it’s not His job to always be the one to rescue us. We have a responsibility also.

 

Galatians 5:1 tells us: “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” We can’t stand in the great liberty of Christ if we have unnecessary things pulling at our hearts and minds. God takes burdens away, but we have a responsibility as well. We have been given the spirit of Christ in us, including a complete set of spiritual five-senses. For example, I remember an incident when I went out to lunch, started eating a steak, and my spiritual taste buds told me it wasn't good. I told the waitress, and she took care of it quickly and easily. It’s our responsibility to use these spiritual senses to recognize when things are not right, or places or people are oppressing us or putting undue burdens on us.

 

I love the Old Testament prophecy that tells us Jesus’ purpose for coming to earth: “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound” (Isa. 61:1).

 

How many crazy things around us are keeping us bound up and agitated? Are our minds and emotions prisoners to things we might not be fully aware of? The impact of having someone or something around who emits negative vibes can be enormous in some cases. In the Bible, it was like that when Achan took a few cursed items from the enemies they had conquered.

 

When Joshua and the Israelites entered the promised land, they conquered the city of Jericho, but the Lord banned them from taking certain items. “Be careful that you don’t covet anything in it and take something that’s cursed, endangering the camp of Israel with the curse and making trouble for everyone” (Josh. 6:18 The Message Bible).

 

But Achan couldn’t resist the urge: “When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it” (Josh. 7:21).

 

Because of that, the whole tribe of Israel suffered and couldn’t seem to make any real progress. It’s interesting here to see that the items Achan took for himself affected the health and welfare of his whole family and his whole tribe.

 

There’s another great principle to see here: Not everyone knew what Achan had done. We are not always aware of the things in our car, our house, our children’s closets, or the influence other people’s actions have on us. But God will tell us if we want to know, and we’re willing to listen. “There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you” (Josh. 7:13).

 

This principle of the Word of God is still true today. We can’t progress like we want to if things burden us, places, people, or ideas that are not God’s will for us at the time.

 

The spirit of God within us teaches us to be observant. “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened” (Eph. 1:18). Using our spiritual five senses, we become aware of what things are good or bad for us in any situation. Achan took the cursed items in that situation. He took beautiful garments, gold, and silver. It’s not that those things are innately evil, but in this situation, they were. Sometimes, when God says no to something, we feel like we’re being deprived, but that’s not the case at all.

 

In Genesis, the serpent tricked Eve into thinking that she and Adam had been deprived of the knowledge of good and evil. But that wasn’t the case. God was going to teach them all about good and evil, but just not at that time.

 

God doesn’t deprive us of any good or true thing, but the right timing is essential. We don’t want to be like Eve and jump the gun just because “we really, really want it right now!” We can easily see her results, and they weren’t good!

 

It seems that for most people, it’s way too easy to be a collector. We collect everything from rocks and papers to electrical devices and even people. It’s amazing how much junk in any category can pile up if we let it! And then it’s heavy on us even if we don’t think it is. But it keeps nagging at us and begging for attention. Every person, thing, or idea has a voice. So most of us probably need to take inventory more often.

 

Once I cleared my desk, the Lord was able to release new things, ideas, and people to me, and it’s been wonderful.

 

Let’s make sure we practice being spiritually aware of what and who is around us.

 

Don’t be an Achan, and don’t let Achans influence you. The Lord wants us to be free. The only burden we have is His, and Jesus promises: “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matt. 11:30).

 

Love, Carolyn

This will be one of the chapters for my next book, Volume 3 of WINGS: A JOURNEY IN FAITH. I thought you’d like seeing the type of questions and easy challenges that I have with each week’s lesson. 😊

 

QUESTIONS AND EASY CHALLENGES (chpt. )

 

1. Take a look at the things around you right now. Write down what some of them are, and next to the item, write down how it makes you feel. If your response is a negative one, is there an action you can take that will change the item’s effect on you?

 

2. Recall a time when you asked the Lord about something or someone who was really bothering you. Describe what happened and what the Lord inspired you to do about it.

 

3. Have you ever been impatient like Eve was and found out you chose the wrong thing to do? Describe the event and the results. What would you do differently in a similar situation?