Jesus’ offer of rest isn’t just for our bodies and burden-laden lives, but for our souls. Our hearts. Our minds. It’s a total package.
Once we’ve surrendered our life to Him and accepted His gift of Salvation, He invites us to repent of our sins and unbelief.
Our greatest oppression isn’t a result of the pressures that plague our burden-laden lives but the condition of our heart.
When we don’t guard our heart, we give Satan access to it. Inviting him to influence our thoughts and actions. To lure us by our desires until we rationalize, compromise, and sin—and sin always comes with guilt and shame. From there he subtly skews our perception by directing our thoughts to ourselves and our circumstances and away from God. Once he’s altered our vision, he cultivates our mind with hopelessness and worry until we’re ready for his seeds of doubt. Doubt in God’s goodness, love, grace, guidance, control, forgiveness—and existence.
Satan masterfully manipulates our sin and accompanying guilt and shame to keep us in bondage and unable/unwilling to see the Truth. His lies convince us we’re less than we are. That God no longer loves us or wants us. His goal is make us complacent and ineffective. To put out our Light.
But Jesus reaches out!
His Light pierces the darkness—dispelling the lies with His Truth. He invites us to lay down our sin, shame, and guilt—to repent and be forgiven. To be free of the burdens that weigh down our soul. To believe.
Will you take Him up on His offer?
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)
People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy. (Proverbs 28:13)
Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. (2 Corinthians 7:10)
So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to Him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. (Romans 8:1-2)
If we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. (1 John 1:9)
Blessings, xoxo
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