Lay it Down

Read: Hebrews chapter 4

I've noticed something about myself: Sometimes I tell God I'm trusting Him while still carrying the thing I'm supposedly trusting Him with. I pray about it, then pick it right back up. I give it to Jesus, then spend the next few hours worrying about how I'm going to fix it.
Maybe you've done that too.

Hebrews 4 reminds us that there is a rest available to the people of God. That rest isn't found in having a perfect life or finally getting everything figured out. It's found in trusting Jesus. That's why I love the picture Hebrews gives us of Jesus as our Great High Priest. He understands our weakness. He knows what temptation feels like. He knows what suffering feels like. He knows what it means to be tired and overwhelmed.

Hebrews says: “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace.” Because of Jesus, we can come to God exactly as we are. We don't have to hide. We don't have to pretend. We don't have to clean ourselves up first. We can come confidently.

Maybe you've been carrying guilt from yesterday, fear about tomorrow, or pressure from today. Maybe you've been trying to control something that was never yours to control. Jesus is inviting you to lay it down. You don't have to carry what Jesus already carried. You don't have to earn what Jesus already purchased. You don't have to strive for what Jesus already finished.

Final Reflection

This week, whatever you're carrying, bring it to Jesus... Trust Him with it, then leave it there. The throne you feared has become the throne of grace. Lay it down.

 What is one thing you need to lay down and trust Jesus with this week?