The Quest to Finding Rest:The Burden of Unforgiveness

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11: 28-30. 

I'm learning that rest in the Lord is not a specific formula but a journey that starts with surrender.  True rest in God comes in different areas of our heart. The burdens of anxiety, unforgiveness, and lack of hope prevent us from finding this true rest. For the next few weeks I want to take you on this journey I am on in discovering what true rest in Christ looks like. 

Today's post is titled: The Burden of Unforgiveness. As humans, we tend to carry unforgiveness or lack of mercy in our hearts. Whether that is towards ourselves, a family member, friends, or a stranger that has wronged us, we continue to grow in frustration the longer we carry it. I have struggled with showing those closest to me mercy. Just for the record these people have never wronged in a way I could not forgive them. I just got so frustrated at the burdens they would carry, I allowed my heart to become hard hearted. I could not relate to their hurts and had no space in my heart to show mercy. Then I started to read about Job. 

   God allowed struggles to hit Job not because he sinned but because God knew how strong Job was. Job was not giving into the lie that his sin caused destruction. His trials were apart of Gods plan. Amid heartache and physical pain Job could rest in being forgiven. He could rest in the fact he already repented of his sins. After that there was nothing he could do. Later, in time Jesus would take care of the rest. I wonder how many of us go on in life bearing the burden of condemnation on yourselves and others. The rest and light yoke Jesus talks about in Matthew 11 is resting daily in forgiveness and grace. It is reminding yourself, "I am forgiven" and letting the worries of being good enough start to cease. 

      I recently, started to notice I expected those closest to me to be perfect Christians. I was allowing the standard I had for myself flow into my thoughts about those around me. Internally I was not fully accepting God’s grace in my everyday life. I felt like I had to work for God’s love.  Even when my strivings ceased and I started to accept God’s grace daily; I still was not viewing my close friends and family through a lens of Gods mercy. Then my perspective shifted.  My friend and I had a two-hour discussion on how we think internally about ourselves flows into our words and actions towards others. This creates a double standard we mentally set for others but not ourselves. For me this double standard became a burden I carried. 
     I was unable to love or relate to those closest to me. As you take on this light yoke of grace you start to view others with God's eyes. Forgiven. Oh, the peace I started to experience as I fully took Gods yoke of grace. My soul experienced true rest. I was no longer wrestling the burden of condemnation. I had been allowing the actions of others to cut into the wound I was not allowing to heal. The longer I held on to the offenses of others I was wounding my heart. My view towards those closest to me was skewed, because the wound cut deep and my heart was filled with pain. Pain that drove my heart to become frozen in forgiveness. 

When Jesus died on the cross one of the men dying with Jesus said,

"We are punished justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our actions. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!” 

And Jesus said to him, Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise." Luke 23:41

This man knew that he was guilty of sin. It was because the man knew he was wrong that saved him. He simply surrendered, asking Jesus to remember the justice he was getting. This man never said a prayer all he did was verbally admit his sin and ask God to remember him even though he was unworthy. If this man is in heaven with God now, then why do we expect ourselves and others to jump through hoops and ladders to be "Christian." My heart felt so convicted as I sat there talking to my friend. 

     I pray that you may understand the simplicity of Jesus' grace and forgiveness for humanity. Wherever you are whether its holding onto unforgiveness towards yourself or towards a family member or friend. Remember that true rest is found in taking up the yoke of grace. It is impossible to carry a light yoke unless you take off the heavy burdens you have been holding onto for a long time. Let your soul rest in His grace.