A Life of Daily Repentance

Image result for peaceful free image   "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you  rest."  Matthew 11:28. I realized recently during a recent trial that I struggle with letting go  of my burdens and giving  them to  Christ.  I guess I think I need to hang  onto the load and somehow that will help.  Foolish, I know.  But when I finally realized that I couldn't change the outcome and just simply left it all in the Lord's hands, peace came.

In Pilgrim's Progress, Christian left on his journey  with an empty bag, and one by one he put his burdens in the bag and the bag got so heavy that he couldn't bear it anymore.  He finally left his burdens at the cross. Finally he was free.

Do you ever find yourself carrying your burden? Maybe you pray and feel good for a moment, but then you  find you not only picked up your load, but it became heavier because you  added to it worry, lack of trust, maybe even guilt.  It is only in leaving it with Christ  and walking away from all  that you cannot carry with perfect trust that  Jesus can carry our burden better than we, that we find  the peace that passes all understanding. We can have that peace even  when we don't know how our trials with  turn  out.

When my father was suffering with  cancer, and we would pray that he would get well, I worried about what if God doesn't heal him?  I told my mother is was like walking in the dark all the time.  She said, "You aren't trusting the one who is the light.  In the Bible you will find a light for your path."  Did I fully grasp what she tried to tell me?  No.  Do I still continue to struggle with trusting the Lord in difficult times?  Yes.  Then, where is the hope of finding peace?  I always find it in remembering that Christ died for my sins, and even though  I fail, He has forgiven me.  In that forgiveness I am able to go  on in peace.  It's daily repentance.  Wasn't that the first of Luther's 95 thesis?  "When our Lord and Maker Jesus Christ said, "Repent" Matthew 4:17, he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.

Let's encourage one another with that, shall we?

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