Do You Feel The Weight?

I had a very difficult conversation in the wee hours of the morning with one of my closest friends. He was feeling sad and angry about things happening in the world. At the end of this conversation, I hung up and had an experience. The realized that the heaviness of the things going on is tangible, even physical. Suddenly I had a thought and the "weight of the world" was brought to my attention. I have been feeling the weight of many things for several months during this time of illness in my body and unrest in our world. I thought "no, I am not Jesus". Let me do my best to articulate the feeling that I had and the explanation that followed.

If God has given me a burden for even one or two things in the array of things happening and/or allowed me to feel the weight of any part of this chaos and sorrow and it cause this heaviness, how heavy must the weight of the world's sin for all time have been on Jesus? We have heard over and over throughout the years about Jesus carrying the weight of the world but did we stop to think about how this would feel?

I am in no way comparing myself to our Savior and Lord. What I feel is nothing compared to what He carried to the cross for all of us. In fact, the thought that this will need to be conveyed in a video in order to really pass on the emotion attached to it has come to me more than once. A video may follow, even though that is something that pushes me out of my comfort zone. This whole feeling and thought process was presented to me in a new way.

This isn't, however, the first time that I have been reminded of my next statement. Jesus reminded me that HE died for everyone's sin, who am I to hold back forgiveness. His life forgave their sin, He paid the price, not me. (whoever they may be in whatever situation). I didn't feel that this was aimed at just me this time. While I had felt attacked and very hurt by the conversation with my friend, this was more than that. I do not desire to hold unforgiveness for others at this point in my life.

While searching for a scripture for the new thoughts I mentioned before I came across

John 20:23, "If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained"(New American Standard Bible).

This was Jesus speaking to his disciples following His death when He appeared to them. Now refer to my previous statement, HE died, we did not, who are we to hold on to unforgiveness? It was His blood, not ours, His pain, His humiliation, His life, and He gave it for ALL.

The sin we see running rampant hurts Him more than us. We were created for fellowship with God. For intimate communion, to be family with God as sons and daughters. How painful is it when your children disrespect you? When they revile you? When they are angry and disobey you? When they turn away and go their own way? When they fight with one another? How much more for the God who created every aspect of our being? Every strand of DNA, who knows every hair on our head and who gave His ONLY begotten Son Jesus to suffer and die a terrible, humiliating death of a criminal for the sins of those who would despise Him, kill Him, and who would walk in disobedience to His commandments?

YET-- we are forgiven--we are redeemed--we are loved--we are protected--we have provision. Even if we pass from here due to things beyond our control if we believe and follow Him we have life everlasting!

Yes, life is hard at times. This year is challenging at best. But will you choose to forgive so that others may be forgiven?

1 John 5:4, "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith" (NASB).

Psalms 33:8, "Let all the earth fear the Lord; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him" (NASB).

1 John 4:14, "We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world" (NASB).

Do not forget the gift we are given! Life everlasting by the shed blood of Jesus our Savior and Lord. Ours is not to hold unforgiveness. I know this can be so hard especially when one is due justice and there is none.

"How much serverer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was santified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said 'Vengence is Mine, I Will Repay!', And Again 'The Lord Will Judge His People!' It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God" ,Hebrews 10:29-31 (NASB).

Do not appoint yourself judge and jury. Forgive and be forgiven. Love and let God heal the wounds. Cry out for justice and truth to the God of all creation and seek peace. Look with Spiritual eyes and do not let the flesh deceive you. Seek wisdom and discernment in all things.

"Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. for you have

need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what

was promised. For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not

delay, But my righteous one shall live by faith; and if he shrinks back, my soul has no

pleasure in him. But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those

who have faith to the preserving of the soul" Hebrews 10:35-39 (NASB).