I Feel So Much Better Now

I just love it when I attend a service and leave all stirred up meditating and reflecting on the message that was preached. Today's message preached by Dr. Mary Chapman, the director of EPPOM Ministries was entitled "Get Rid Of The Weight". When she announced the title of the sermon I knew that it was a custom made message from the Lord just for me. Today's post is inspired by the Lord leading me to share my personal reflections on the message preached today.

God has a way of getting our attention and confirming what He has already told us. My prayer this morning was "Lord, help me to truly give it all to you and leave it there." Then, the message at the service today was "Get Rid Of The Weight". This was no coincidence. You see, for a while I had been holding onto some unnecessary weights. I couldn't figure out for the life of me why I felt so drained and was having such a hard time making my way to the next level but it became clear to me this afternoon that I was having such a difficult time moving forward because I had so many things weighing me down and slowing down my progress. The devil IS a liar. I will go forth in Jesus' name!

It's really easy for us to tell other people to "let go and let God" or to "stand still and see the salvation of the Lord" but sometimes we get so caught up in everything going on around us and trying to remedy every problem that we forget to take heed to our own advice. I wasn't able to hear the entire message but I believe the Lord blessed me to hear just enough to cause me to examine myself and make some necessary changes. The Word of God should take residence in our spirits and cause us to want to make some changes.

We cannot effectively lift one another up in prayer or in any other capacity if we ourselves are heavy ladened and burdened but thanks be to God that Jesus came to give us rest Matthew 11:28.

As I listened to the message I thought about all the many new directions I had been being pulled in. I have my family concerns, ministry concerns and business to handle with the books I have been writing. I had friends with problems, relatives with problems and siblings that insist on having destination weddings every few months. In all of this, I began to spend an excessive amount of time trying to figure out how I was going to be everywhere and everything for everyone that I forgot that all I needed to do was to focus on my primary role as a Child Of God and allow God to take care of the rest. I was so engulfed with trying to get things done that I forgot to simply surrender and say "Thy will be done".

I had so many places to be at one time and so many responsibilities to take care of that I felt there just weren't enough hours in a day. Imagine that: me thinking that God had not created enough hours in a day when He told us that He would supply all of our needs according to His riches in glory - "all" means that He has even given me ample time to take care of everything that I needed to take care of. Perhaps I should have changed my prayer long ago from asking God to give me more time or more resources to teach me to be a better steward over that which He has already given me. God is not going to add increase when we aren't properly managing what He has already given us (See Matthew 25:21).

(Some of us are quick to quote that scripture when we are thinking of material or monetary needs but what about time and patience? "All" means everything.)

The whole point was that some of the things that "I needed" to take care of were not really things that I "needed" to take care of. We have responsibilities here on earth but we also have a responsibility to heed the advice we are given in the 12Th chapter of the book of Hebrews which reads: "lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us," (see Hebrews 12:1-2).

It is a sin to worry. When we worry, we are in essence lacking the faith that God is who He said that He is. God is The Great "I AM". The bible tells us that it is impossible to please God without faith (Hebrews 11:6). So not only was I weighed down with all the many cares of the world but I was also sinning by worrying because God doesn't want me to worry but to believe and seek Him in everything as He is a rewarder to those the diligently seek after Him.

The preacher was definitely hitting close to home as she ministered. And you know what? It is well with my soul. I thank God that she was obedient to the voice of the Lord and preached Get Rid Of The Weight from Hebrews 12:1-2 because I was liberated by the message. I already knew that God had the situation under control but me being the oldest child and a mother, I tend to try to "make things" happen and I can't always do that. I came to the realization that I could not continue to profess with my mouth that it was all in God's hands and in my mind still try to makes plans and preparations. After all works without faith is dead.

So whatever you may be going through emotionally, financially or mentally that seems like it's too much to bear - let it go. I have and it sure feels good. Maybe you've tried to let it go but you just can't seem to truly hand it all over to the Lord, I'll agree with you in prayer right now that the un-forgiveness, stress, worry, doubt, fear, etc. are all gone in Jesus' name. If you don't feel comfortable with a public post, you can also e-mail me at shanitawaters@waterplantgrowth.com.

If this post had an audio clip, I would probably be singing the old hymn " I feel better so much much better as I lay my burdens down..."

So as I close this post but never my prayers for you remember that it is not the will of the father for us to have overwhelming and stressful lives but that we may have life and have it more abundantly.

Blessings!

Shanita Waters
By His Stripes We Are Healed, Author
www.waterplantgrowth.com
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