I want to share something that God spoke to me the other day. I was laying in bed before church talking to the Lord, and I asked Him about some things I was feeling in my body, physically. Anyone who deals with pain knows that when it continues despite praying, homeopathic remedies, or medicine (God can and will use it all, just sayin'),  it can be very discouraging and even depressing at times. You pray and pray and it doesn't go away. I asked Him, "Lord, why?" and I heard the word resentment (also bitterness, unforgiveness). I didn't feel condemned by hearing that, nor did I feel the need to defend myself and say, "Not me, Lord!" I only said to Him, "I don't want anything of that in me Lord. I don't want to hold any resentment, bitterness or unforgiveness in my body." Notice I said I don't want to hold it in my body. I didn't say my heart. We can hold onto things in our bodies. 

Then skip ahead to church on Sunday where Kari was painting. She said that Pastor Cathy shared with her about the deliverance ministry, training, and sessions that have recently started. Kari then said when she asked the Lord about the piece she was going to do yesterday she heard "resentment". She shared how we, if we so chose, were to write generational promises on the thin strips of paper or what we were asking the Lord to break off generationally and believing for freedom for in our families. When I heard her say the word "resentment" I was blown away! It was confirmation to me - God was speaking loud and clear! 

Ephesians 4:31-32 King James Version (KJV)

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Then worship begins and This is How We Overcome and Overcomer are the first 2 songs we sing!! He speaks!! So loud!! So clear!! 

John 16:33 NLT

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.

Move ahead further to Pastor Cathy's teaching with the children in the service for Family Sunday and the illustrations and demonstrations - don't you just love them? I know I do! Giving Jesus ALL of ourselves, He can carry and will carry all of us. All of our mad, our sad, our everything. He doesn't want just an arm or a leg or a head or a butt... He wants ALL of us. HE will carry it all; we just have to let Him.

Hebrews 12:1-3 

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 

So let's put it all together. Could it be that our ways of holding onto things (resentment, bitterness, unforgiveness), trying to carry it all on our own, and not fully surrendering to Him are causing us pain or weariness in well doing? Instead of all that, can we simply receive the love and forgiveness He has for us and extend that same forgiveness to others? Can we let go of resentment and bitterness and let HIM make our burdens light? Yes, we can! He is so good like that!!!

For me, on Mondays (often when I'm sleeping), God unpacks more of what was shared the day before so that I can digest it all week. I absolutely love Mondays for that reason!!!

Then of course (you know me), a song pops into my head and the line:   "Many things about tomorrow I don't seem to understand BUT I know who holds my future and I know who holds my hand." 🎶