I'm praying for you right now, that whatever has happened in your life, God will bring healing to your heart and comfort you in this very moment.
He wants you to get alone with Him, away from all the distractions, so He can guide you. Perhaps you're heading in a direction that will only bring you more pain. He wants you to slow down, be still, and listen to Him for once, because you've been relying on your own wisdom instead of His. He's asking you to give your problems to Him.
He knows your heart is hurting today. What happened to you was painful, but God is telling you it's time to let go of what you've been holding on to for so long. As long as you keep carrying it alone, it will continue to hurt you. It's time to put it into God’s hands.
"Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." 1 Corinthians 13:7
That’s us. That’s me and you. ♥🫂
God knows far better than you what to do with your problem. He saw it coming before it ever happened, and now, even though you've come this far, He wants you to pause and consider what's happening in your life. He wants to comfort you, guide you, and help you through it.
Whoever you are, God sees you. He's calling you back to Him, inviting you to begin again today. He has promised to comfort you and give you a fresh new start. And He has promised that if you come to Him, He will never turn you away.
He can give you a peace that passes all understanding; a peace that reaches deep into your hurting heart. As you repent, surrender your burdens, and trust Him, you can begin to experience the freedom you've been longing for.
The Bible says, "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." (John 8:36, KJV)
That means the freedom Christ gives, is real and complete. Imagine that thousand-pound weight you've been lugging around for years, suddenly being lifted from your shoulders. At last, you can breathe again! You can begin to experience the peace and joy your heart has needed all along, because you have returned to God, placed your trust in Him, and surrendered your problem into His hands.
Never forget that no matter what the devil has tried to use against you, God can turn around to rescue you, strengthen you, and bring you through it. He can give you a peace you never knew was possible, until you finally laid everything at His feet.
His altar is a place where you can bring your weaknesses, your grief, your failures, and your deepest heartaches. You don't have to be strong or pretend everything is okay. You don't have to hide your tears. You can pour out your heart to the One who already knows you completely, and loves you regardless of your faults.
Never fear when God is near. He has heard your cries, and He wants to help you through your troubles. He wants to lift the load you've been carrying for far too long. But now you know. Now you can let God have it all.
He's got your back, and He wants to hold you in His loving arms and comfort you. He knows you've been trying to handle everything on your own, carrying something that was simply too big for you to bear alone. And you know what? You took on a burden you were never meant to carry alone.
And now God is saying, "Beloved, give it to ME. Let ME help you carry it. Trust ME with what you cannot control."
That's the heart of His invitation. God is faithful, and He never breaks His promises. But remember this: God doesn't want half your heart any more than He wants you to surrender only half your burdens. He wants you to bring EVERYTHING to Him and lay it all at His altar. He knows best, how to handle your burdens and stress. He knows your every need. He wants to begin a new work in you, freeing you from the chains that have kept you bound. He wants to help you walk in the freedom Christ offers.
YOUR BURDEN IS NOT TOO HEAVY FOR GOD TO HANDLE!
It's okay to feel sad, repentant, ashamed, and tearful. You can also experience relief at the same time. You've been carrying that burden for a very long time. It's time to release it into God's hands, and start new again. Only now, God will be right alongside you, to help and guide you.
Tears were meant to bring healing, as you finally express the pain you've been holding inside. As you release that pain to God, you may feel a tremendous sense of relief, as though your whole body is saying:
"Wow! You finally did it! Ahhhhhhhh! Thank you for taking care of me again! I can finally breathe, let go of all that tension, and begin to enjoy my newfound freedom in Christ!"
Yes, you may feel a difference when you stop trying to carry everything alone. Your heart and body may finally begin to relax. And through it all, God is able to carry every burden you surrender to Him. There is nothing too hard for Him to handle!
Now you're beginning to experience what God wanted you to receive all along, but perhaps you weren't paying attention. You thought you could manage everything by yourself. And yes, you can take responsibility for your choices and do the things that are yours to do. But now you see how much smoother the journey can become, when you lay your burdens at Jesus' feet and trust Him with the outcome. And with that, you can begin to relax and rest in the comfort of His arms.
That's what your heart has wanted and needed, all along. Perhaps you forgot, or perhaps you became so busy managing the things of this world and dealing with all its distractions, that you lost sight of the One who wanted to help you.
But now you're back on track! You're beginning again, and you're learning to walk in freedom.
God didn't forget you. He was waiting for you to turn back to Him. And it all began, when you started talking with Jesus again.
Remember. Prayer can break through the barriers and chains, Satan has tried to use to keep you bound. Now you know that God hears the cries of His children, and that He can set the captive free.
That's not a coincidence. That's answered prayer!
God knew what would happen, before any of it ever came to pass. He was not caught by surprise. Even before you knew what you would face, He made provision for you. He said "come to the cross and you'll see what I have provided for you".
Now He wants you to rest.
You've prayed. You've released your burdens. You've placed your trust in Him. You can rest in Jesus now. There’s nothing more for you to do, and that's okay. You have done what you could. What you cannot do, God will take up the slack and do it for you. Your job is simply to keep trusting, and leave the outcome up to God. That's holy. That's faith.
Sometimes God closes one door, so that a better door can open, and bring you a better life. He can use your painful experiences to teach you, strengthen you, and lead you forward. Sometimes, our flesh gets lazy and stubborn, and wants to stay stuck in the past where we've been most comfortable. But then we're not learning and growing that way. Whatever the reason God chooses to move us along, He always has your best interest at heart. He is trustworthy to see us all the way through.
Whatever happened, wasn't a mistake. It had purpose. God can use this season of pruning, to draw you closer to Him, to depend on Him alone, to strengthen your faith, prosper you, protect you, and bear more fruit for His glory.
He wants you to grow spiritually, and He cares about your physical well-being, too. He wants you to pursue wholeness, health, and growth in every way you can.
GOD'S GOT YOU!
He's working, even when you cannot see it.
Sometimes He grows your faith while you wait for His answer. You learn to trust Him when you cannot see what He's doing or understand how everything will work out.
That's what it means to let go and let God. This exercises and builds your faith. It's always good to get alone with God and listen to what He has to say, through prayer and reading His Word. It is hardly fair to our Savior, to ignore Him the whole year, never pick up our Bible, then expect him to answer our prayers at the drop of a hat. That's not Fellowship - that's desertion. God won't be mocked that way.
When you finally surrender your burdens and place them in His hands, you'll stop trying to control everything, and give God what only HE can work out. You'll give Him room to work in ways you cannot see. God's ways are higher than our ways and His thinking is far wiser and superior to ours. As you pray and trust Him, He'll be working behind the scenes on your behalf... opening doors, changing circumstances, strengthening your heart, and helping you discover a way forward, that you've never experienced before. Just when you thought you had lost the life you once knew, it will get better. I'm talking about your transformation by the Holy Spirit! It's surpasses all understanding because it's a miracle from God and I experienced it.
He sees your willingness to trust Him, as you have chosen peace over fear. Satan wanted you to remain trapped in a painful place, but you turned back toward God's peace and ever-loving arms.
What you thought was lost, God can renew! This is what can happen when you exercise your faith and put your trust in Jesus. I am rejoicing with you, if you have made that decision! I am celebrating this beautiful moment of returning to God, and trusting Him again.
And now, I want to remind you of a beloved Christian hymn that expresses the very heart of this message.
"I SURRENDER ALL"
This classic hymn was written in 1896 by Judson W. Van DeVenter. Its message is simple but powerful: surrender everything to Jesus, trust Him, and allow Him to lead your life.
All to Jesus I surrender, All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him, In His presence daily live.
I surrender all, I surrender all; All to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all.
All to Jesus I surrender, Humbly at His feet I bow; Worldly pleasures all forsaken, Take me, Jesus, take me now.
I surrender all, I surrender all; All to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all.
All to Jesus I surrender, Make me, Savior, wholly Thine; Let me feel Thy Holy Spirit, Truly know that Thou art mine.
I surrender all, I surrender all; All to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all.
All to Jesus I surrender, Lord, I give myself to Thee; Fill me with Thy love and power, Let Thy blessing fall on me.
I surrender all, I surrender all; All to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all.
Dear hurting soul, please remember this:
What you think is the end of your story, does not have to be the end. God can restore what has been broken, bring beauty from ashes, heal your wounded heart, and lead you into a brand-new beginning.
You don't have to carry yesterday's pain into every tomorrow. You don't have to keep pretending you're strong enough to handle everything alone.
Come to Jesus. Give Him your heart. Surrender your burdens. Trust Him with what you cannot change, and follow Him in whatever He asks you to do next. I promise you won't be sorry. He is trustworthy. I've experienced that for the last 53 years.
When things are painful, God is not turning you away. His arms are wide open... waiting to receive you and your prayers. Your past does not have to determine your future. With God, there is hope, there is mercy, and there is the promise of a new beginning.
Will you keep carrying it all alone, or will you surrender it all to Jesus today? The choice is yours.
