Not in Part, but the Whole

One of God’s greatest sorrows over your life is the fact that you have learned to stifle your joy as well as your grief. There is a barrier of grief and pain that prevents the expression of the extravagance of love that is in your heart toward the Lord.

You have feared burdening the Son of God with the whole of your sin and grief; you do not want to cause Him additional pain, you do not want to pierce Holy hands with the full weight of your sorrows. But Dear Child, you have found to your distress that you are unfit to bear the burden. You are not able to bear the pain and to also refrain from the sin that is engendered by that pain. Withholding grief from the Son causes Him pain through the grief-fueled anger and bitterness that you then exhibit toward other people. “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matthew 25:40).

You must cast your cares upon Him, because He is strong enough to bear them. He is the Holy and blemish free Lamb of God, the only one who is worthy to bear the full weight of your sin. Release it to Him.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

From the hymn "It is Well With My Soul" by Horatio Spafford, 1873 Public domain

Scripture: “Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows…the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:4a, 5b).

The Cure

Fear has to do with punishment, and so disobedience feeds fear. Thus, obedience is a partial antidote for the poison of fear. Trusting in God's love completes the cure.

Scripture: " There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love" ( 1 John 4:18).

Are You Ready to Obey?

Dear One, you treat direct words from the throne of God as options, not as commands. It is not in your best interests now for God to tell you what to do, because you still are not in a mood to obey. He will not instruct you until your heart is obedient, because He does not want to lead you to disobedience. How are you choosing to escape your emotional deficit? The Lord is the lover who has beckoned and has been ignored. You have hurt His heart.

No penance is necessary; Jesus has paid the price. Only turn your face toward Him. He is your Lord and Your Savior. He is to be the overwhelming love song of your life. You do not need to fear laying down the burdens that you carry so diligently for your loved ones; let them go. I am not saying that you are to abdicate your responsibilities; you know that. But let go the weight of responsibility for their obedience or lack of it. And do not make your loved ones feel that if they need your support in prayer that they must then pay homage to you.

Those who believe that they bear the responsibility to work salvation themselves have no need of God. Remember Saul’s sin. Samuel had promised him deliverance and instructed him to wait, but Saul took matters into his own hands (1 Samuel 13). In a stunning lack of faith in God to save, Saul placed himself on an equal footing with a priest of God.

The Lord has heard your cries. He knows where you are and has made provision for you. You do not have to work freedom on your own behalf. Do not be afraid,
no door has closed. “I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut,” (Revelation 3:8).

Scripture: “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me. The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; your love, O Lord, endures forever—do not abandon the works of your hands” (Psalm 138:7).