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Thursday, August 4, 2011

Imagine

Close your eyes and imagine with me...

You're walking down a long hallway. This hallway seems like it has no ending. In each arm you're carrying five huge suitcases. On you're back you're carrying an overflowing backpack. You're shoes feel like 50lb weights on your feet but still you walk. You walk because you're afraid if you stop you'll fall and not be able to get back up.

There's no one else in this long hallway with you, you're completely alone when all of a sudden you see something up ahead. It's a man, you begin to look down as you pass him, not wanting to make eye contact, embarrassed with all the luggage you're carrying. As you pass him, time seems to stand still, you peek at him through you're eye lashes as he smiles at you with the kindest most loving smile you've ever experienced and you can't help but turn your head towards him. He touches your arm gently and in almost a whisper he asks if he can help you carry something. "You've come an awful long way, can I help you with something so you can get to your destination faster?"

Embarrassed and ashamed you start to hurry past him saying "no, I can carry this on my own. I may need something in here and I'm not sure I can trust you."

You walk for what seems like hours and suddenly see the same man up ahead "Is he following you, you wonder..." You lug the suitcases, the heavy backpack and the weighted down shoes up to the man and he offers again to help you, you think for a moment..ok you can carry one suitcase, you say, but be careful these are fragile. The man smiles but doesn't say anything and you start to wonder who He is, who is this man who seems so kind and gentle.

Each step you take becomes more painful as you are overloaded with suitcases and each step the man turns to ask if he can carry something, but you refuse.

Suddenly he turns to look at you and asks you to open each case, he wants to see what is inside (of course he already knows) Completely embarrassed, ashamed and scared you start opening each suitcase.

Fear
Doubt
Anxiety
Past hurts
loneliness
Pain
Distrust
Self hate
Self Doubt

As you open the cases tears start falling. He turns to look at you after examining the contents of each case, you look back at him and his clothes start to change, his face lights up more bright than you've ever seen, his clothes become a brilliant robe, his eyes show more love than you've ever experienced.

Beloved, it's Me, don't you know, do you have any idea how much I want to take these things from you. Why do you carry them, why do you insist on carrying them through life. I've called you, you are mine and yet you still hold on to them. Please give them to me, I can show you a love you've never known. I will help you, if only you would let me. I love you, these things are in the past, I've loved you your whole life. Let me have your past and I will guide you to a future you have never imagined.

You begin to argue "But God, what if I need these things, what if I experience more hurt, I need these things to shield me. I need to hold on to them, it's all I've known. Who am I without my pain? What if I mess up? What if?

My love, you will mess up. You're human. You will have hurt, you will have pain. If you let Me have your past you won't have to face the future alone, you will have hope and I will give you peace. I will NEVER leave you, no matter how much you mess up. I will NEVER let you go. I've loved you and protected you you're entire life. I'm not going to stop now that our life together is just getting started. Trust Me, I will show you who you are.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

You don't have to imagine anymore, because this is real. This is me. This is you. I'm tired of going through life carrying my baggage. Satan will hate you for this but God is bigger. Give your baggage over to God, and when it comes back give it over again. You give it over until you are not weighed down anymore. Let Him give you rest.

5 comments:

Jenifer Metzger said...

This is really good Mandy. We carry our own burdens because we are ashamed. But God wants us to rest in Him and let Him carry those burdens. Thank you for this reminder.

Desiray said...

Very well written my friend...lots of good information I know I can see myself I pray others will see themselves as well and use it as a tool to help them give it to God to make them molded into His image that we don't have to carry those burdens with us all the time..

Unknown said...

God is speaking this morning. You're post goes along with Jenifer's. We can do nothing apart from Him, but we can do all things through Him. So why do we try so hard on our own. I want to give Him all my burdens and let Him carry them. Great lesson, Mandy!

Kelli said...

WOW! So many times I've carried my shame, hurt, and heartbreak across the feet of Jesus instead when I should have been leaving them there. What a beautiful analogy that I can so relate to. Thinking we can do life on our own without HIM is such a costly mistake. One I have had to learn the hard way! Nice to see your words again!:)

Phather Phil Malmstrom said...

This is a wonderful analogy Mandy, and very well written! Trying to rely on our own strength when we have God's to draw on is just treading water through life. Only by releasing our fears, doubts and burdens at the foot of the cross can we truly grow in Him.

Great post!

Have a Blessed Day!