He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. -Psalm 40:2 (NIV)

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. -1 Peter 2:9 (NIV)

It’s easy to let everyday life in this world weigh us down and wear us down.

It’s easy to take on the burdens of work–or lack of work–and home life and all our other demands on your shoulders. It can be so great that you can hardly breathe or move. It can be so great that it drains your energy and spirit to the point of sluggishness and resignation.

It’s easy to believe the lies about who we are, to believe we’re our mistakes. It’s easy to let the dirt of slander, abuse, and sin cake on us, like layers of mud and dirt.

But beneath all that is the light of God’s love that shines in you…and the lightness of His yoke.

What’s easier than all the things we take on as we lose focus on God is the yoke of Christ. The second we feel the burden of pain and sin, or God’s light we reflect being obscured by dirt and shame, it’s time to get on our knees and surrender all of it to God.

You may think you don’t have time…that you need to keep pressing on…but without refocusing on Him and His priorities for you, you will fail alone. And the enemy may even fool you into thinking God hasn’t been with you!

God made in you a beautiful creation He so loved that He died for you! We get farther and farther away from it as we press on our own mistaken paths in our own strength. I implore you to stop and remember the blessed creation He made in you, and to let Him transport all of your burdens so that you may walk with Him in the light–and with the lightness and peace of His yoke. When we remember how God sees us, every burden and pain falls away to reveal the value and beauty He put in us.

Today’s soundtrack

MercyMe’s “Beautiful” reminds us that we are His beautiful works, made for more than what we’re going through now.

If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you. -Psalm 130:3-4 (NIV)

As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. -Psalm 103:12 (HCSB)

God’s forgiveness is one of the greatest freedoms I’ve ever known, and something that keeps me from drowning myself in sorrow on a daily basis. Unforgiveness is a massive millstone for the soul.

One of the elements in the Lord’s Prayer, which Jesus uses as a model for us in our prayers, is to ask the Lord to forgive us our trespasses as we forgive others. God’s forgiveness is truly greater than our sins, and a heavy ransom was paid for our redemption. There is nothing beyond forgiveness for true believers.

No matter what the offense, whether from another or your own, forgiveness of the offense frees the offender of the burden of guilt, and the forgiver of the burden of unforgiveness. And if you are one and the same, not forgiving yourself for an offense, then your load has been doubly lightened!

As true believers, we are to model ourselves after Jesus. He lived without sin, which is a life impossible for us to emulate in that respect. But, through God’s grace, we are forgiven and free from remaining shackled by sin, so we can approach God whenever sin burdens us.

So, confess and repent. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And once you have, move on. Your slate is clean once more. Stop fishing in the waters of God’s forgetfulness once He has cast your sins into it, and live free like you’ve never known before Jesus was in your heart.

Today’s soundtrack

Casting Crown’s “East to West” perfectly thanks the Lord for his boundless grace and forgiveness.

Peace be with you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; I had your money. -Genesis 43:23 (NKJV)

In our last installment, Joseph’s brothers were sent by Jacob/Israel to Egypt to buy grain, since the famine had begun. The brothers didn’t recognize Joseph, but he recognized them. And over the next three chapters (Genesis 42-44), he puts them through the wringer!

The tables are turned

Knowing who they are, Joseph accuses his brothers of being spies, but they protest, saying they are honest sons of one man, though the youngest is not with them, and one brother was no longer with them. Can you imagine how this would sound to your ears if you were Joseph? At one point, he had to turn away and weep.

Joseph throws them in jail for three days, then releases them, demanding that they bring the youngest of their brothers back to him. They have to leave one brother behind, however, so Joseph keeps Simeon in Egypt. Per Joseph’s order, the brothers are sent back with the grain they came to buy, but they don’t realize till they’re headed home that Joseph had put their money back in their sacks as well! When they see the money, they panic and despair:

So he [one of the brothers] said to his brothers, “My money has been restored, and there it is, in my sack!” Then their hearts failed them and they were afraid, saying to one another, “What is this God has done to us?” -Genesis 42:28 (NKJV)

The brothers go back and tell their father what happens, and Jacob is not happy. After some convincing by Reuben and Judah, Jacob allows Benjamin to go back with them to Egypt to get more grain. Jacob also has them bring the best fruits they have–and double money–as a present to this man in Egypt, in the hopes Jacob won’t lose two more sons.

Upon seeing Benjamin with his brothers, Joseph has the steward of the house take the men to his home to dine with them. You can imagine the fear in his brothers’ hearts, to be taken to his house! They were sure they would be assumed thieves because of the money still in their sacks, but the steward assured them they were fine.

So, Joseph learns from his brothers that his father is alive and well. (The brothers must be wondering why he’s asking about their father?) And upon seeing young Benjamin, Joseph is overwhelmed and temporarily steps away to weep, because he and Benjamin are both sons of Rachel, unlike his half-brothers.

So, they all dine at separate tables (Egyptians wouldn’t be caught dead eating with Hebrews), with Benjamin getting five times as much food as anyone else!

Joseph sends all of his brothers home, with as much food as they can carry, their money in their sacks…and Joseph’s own silver cup in Benjamin’s sack. Why? Find out in the next installment!

Conviction and grace

It’s often said that Joseph is a Jesus figure, and we can see how: God casts light onto our sins and we are convicted, and must face them. The brothers have shouldered the burden of their sin for about 20 years now, and with it brought to light, they despair.

But, like Jesus, Joseph supplies them their need, which they cannot buy with money. That is how God’s grace works! And it only gets better. Stay tuned for the next installment!

Today’s soundtrack

Sidewalk Prophets’ “Change This Heart” asks God to take on the burdens of guilt we’ve brought on ourselves, and with His grace, heal our hearts and take it away.

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

If you’re anything like me, you’ll pile on more and more and more in your own strength, and can quickly forget who can relieve you of worldly worries and burdens. These burdens can include sharing burdens with others out of concern.

When you do that, it’s like swimming upstream against the current…you can only do that for so long…and you will eventually run out of your own strength.

No matter what the burdens are you face, the important thing to remember is that, as a child of the One True King, you do not have to shoulder these burdens in your strength. I know that I forget and do this all the time, because I’ve done that my whole life, and am still learning and establishing the new habit of entrusting my burdens and outcomes to God. After all, it’s the most natural thing to do in the flesh when faced with burdens…take them head on.

As believers, we shouldn’t be so reactive, but remember to step back before just jumping in. We need to remember that how we shoulder our burdens properly—by laying them in prayer and faith at His feet, and taking up His yoke—is immensely freeing. This is the opposite of what the world would say…the world would actually say that’s insanity. But that’s because the world doesn’t see that surrender isn’t the path to defeat, but to victory…and that burdens and outcomes are not ours to take on (which is an illusion), but to be given up.

When we go in the flow of His river, life and its stresses give us supernatural calm and peace. That’s what those who don’t have Jesus in their live search for their whole lives. For us, He is always present. We just have to jump in.

Today’s soundtrack

Steven Curtis Chapman’s “Dive” encourages us to dive in and His mighty river carry us:

Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” -1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV)

As an agent of light, it’s crucial that you stick with other agents when possible…especially if you are experiencing harrowing trials, or are a new agent whom the enemy may find impressionable to the wrong concepts and influences. And these influences, who are sometimes people, are everywhere.

Fellow agents who are not just professed, but active followers, of Christ who show the fruit of the Spirit in their walk, are among the most valuable of allies and confidants in our fight. We need the support and strength of siblings in Christ who can, as His hands and feet, build us up and lift us up when we are struggling…and we need to do the same for them.

In addition, these godly friendships help the participating agents to grow stronger in Christ, and continue the journey to Christlikeness.

Seeing this, the enemy will do all he can to tear these bonds apart, and even set agents against each other. He may even work through other susceptible agents to accomplish this purpose, so be on your guard.

The most important thing to remember Jesus’ teaching to love one another as He loves us. In doing this, we listen and support without judgment, encourage each other to grow and move toward Christlikeness, and always keep our eyes on Him.

These are the friendships through which His light is blindingly bright. When you surround yourself with agents who are like-minded in the pursuit of Christlikeness, you are experiencing a force multiplier that makes you even stronger than the sum of you.

In this excerpt from the following In Touch Ministries article, it’s explained why it’s so important:

In a God-honoring friendship, two people build each other up and spur one another toward Christlikeness.

[…]

Strong relationships begin with men and women who decide to risk their pride and comfort in order to love as Jesus does. They recognize that friends are meant to motivate one another toward holiness. In a friendship of mutual trust and submission, two people will confess sin, offer gentle reproof, and share burdens.

Read the complete article, “Friendship: A Help to Holiness” »

And underlying all of that, you have stresses and pains in your heart that make addressing all of the above even more difficult.

Well, all of those are distractions. Yes, even the pains in your heart. This is where we really, really have to take our eyes off ourselves and our worldly obligations, and refocus on Him. Keeping our eyes trained on Him gives us a supernatural peace in the face of anything, because we’re not looking at the waves in our lives. And, most importantly, it helps us get our priorities straight again. It’s amazing how your list of “must do’s” will change when you refocus and put Him back on the top of that list, as He should!

I say all this because this is something I’m constantly working on, and I’m sure I’m not alone in this.

This Pocket Fuel devotional speaks more about distractions:

Many things will cross your path. Some will enhance and invigorate your journey, others bring destruction and pain… Through it all, keep your eyes focused on God. Don’t get distracted, steady your mind and heart and enjoy this beautiful life you’ve been given. No matter what blessing or heartache has overwhelmed you, God will lead you through, healing and refining you step by step.

Read the whole devotional at Pocket Fuel »