"What's that you're holding?"

The other day Megan posted a ReliantK lyric: "I tried to hold your hand but you'd rather hold your grudge." This line caused so many thoughts to flood my mind. How many of us have tried to do something while holding an arm load of stuff. I know I am guilty. On Sunday mornings on my way to the car, I'm trying to carry Bibles, kids things, coffee, sometimes a child, and I just don't want to make a second trip back up the stairs. Loaded down I struggle with the simplest of tasks such as opening a door or flipping a light switch. Sometimes losing my grip I'll try even harder to hold on causing discomfort and strain. On occasion I'll end up with coffee stains on my pants and wrinkles all over my shirt. Not wanting to take the time for the second trip or to lay something down long enough to turn a knob, I end up wasting more time going back to pick up the items I dropped along the way. What a ridiculous sight I must be!

A minister I used to know always called this the "lazy man's load" because he's too lazy to make a second trip. GUILTY as charged!

I realize this is a silly illustration but how many times do we do the same thing in our minds and our emotions? We refuse to let go of the very thing that is hindering us from making progress. Those hurt feelings. Those fears from past failures. Those insufficiencies in ourselves that we strive so hard to keep hidden from others. That unforgiveness, that bitterness, that anger, that fear! There are all kinds of things that can fall in to this category, but each of us know what ours are. God wants you free from these things, and you can be!

As overly simple as it sounds, it all starts with a decision. You decide you will let it go. You choose to lay it down. That's where it STARTS, that is not where it ends. As simple as this sounds, it can be one of the most difficult things in life to do. 1 Peter 5:17 in the Amplified Bible tells us we should:

"cast the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully."

How awesome is that? This verse tells us that God not only cares ABOUT us, he also cares FOR us. Let me illustrate this for you. I care ABOUT the starving children of the world, but there are those working in missions who care FOR them. I care ABOUT the needs of my nieces and nephew. But their parents car FOR them. As for my own children, I both care ABOUT and FOR them. Do you see that? God cares ABOUT AND FOR you! He wants you to depend on Him wholly to help you with these things.

Of Mice and Monkeys

I have heard (but never had the opportunity to try it myself) that a way to catch a monkey is to put a shiny object inside a trap that has a hole in it large enough for the monkey to put his hand into, but too small for it to withdraw its hand while holding the object. It is said that the greedy little monkey will hold on to his new found treasure, refusing to let it go, even if it means getting captured. On the other hand (quite literally) is a rat. A rat will gnaw its own leg off to escape a trap, preferring to live life with one less foot than to die in that trap. Wow! What if we could be that determined to let go of the things holding us back in life. There is a very hard passage in the Bible that I do not take literally, but figuratively. Matthew 5:29,30:

"And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into Hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into Hell."

Again, I AM NOT SAYING that we should literally dismember our bodies, but this verse shows us the seriousness of allowing our flesh to pull us down. We should be willing to do whatever it takes to be free from these bondages and snares that our enemy uses to hold us back.

I mentioned above that the first step is making a decision, so what is the next step? Sticking to it. After you have decided to cast that care upon the Lord, you have to choose to leave it with Him. Don't lay it down only to pick it back up again immediately. Lay it down and LEAVE IT THERE! How do I do this you ask. As always, the scripture has our answer. 2 Corinthians 10:4,5 tells us that:

"...the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of STRONGHOLDS; casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every THOUGHT to the obedience of Christ."

This is where the real battle is. When those negative thought rise up, you have to knock them back with the Word of God. You have to take control of your mind and refuse to think any thoughts that are contrary to His Word or His Will for your life. Again, this sounds simple in the reading of it, but it is a daily battle in the doing of it. For some not daily but hourly, for others, minute by minute. But you CAN do it. God said to and He knows you are able! And what's more, He's got your back!

Do it now, choose to think His thoughts, choose to meditate on His truths, trust Him and take Him at His Word! YOU WILL BE FREE!!!