The Heavy Coat…

Yesterday was the first day of February, and it was absolutely beautiful outside.

The sun was shining, the sky was a pale blue, the perfect conditions for a long walk in my neighborhood.

I grabbed my black coat before heading out the door, thinking I may need it because, well, it is FEBRUARY.

Inhaling the warm air, I smiled and thanked God for such a sweet and sunny day. My soul craves sunshine and warmth, so this was the perfect remedy.

About ten minutes into my walk, my coat felt like a load of bricks on my body. I felt suffocated underneath the heaviness of it.

The warm sun was beaming down and the coat was not really needed.

With each step, the coat felt heavier and heavier, but at this point, I was too far along on my walk to take the coat back home.

I wore it anyway. Even feeling dragged down and heavy laden with it on, I kept going.

Each step, walking toward that bright sunshine, I felt this enormous nudge to strip myself of that jacket and be free from the weight of it. It felt so incredibly burdensome, heavy, and suffocating.

Suddenly, I looked up at that beaming sun, and thought of Jesus. Beckoning me to come to Him.

Thinking back to these words from Scripture…

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

I was reminded of so many times in my life when I was weighed down by sin, regret, fear, worry, depression, anxiety, shame…

How there had been days when I felt like I could not even breathe because of the weight of all of it….

Through all of that heaviness, Jesus was always there. He was always gently suggesting to me to take it all off and give it to Him. He would carry it for me.

It was a simple choice, really.

Wear the coat and feel miserably heavy, or take it off and find freedom.

Tears came streaming down my face as I was walking.

The sun was so bright to my eyes as I looked up at it and it seemed to pierce right through me, seeing everything I tried to hide.

Seconds later, I stripped of that heavy coat and finally felt like I could breathe again.

I wanted to fall to my knees in gratitude thinking back of how Jesus had literally saved me.

We are not meant to wear these heavy coats of shame, sin, regret, depression…fill in the blank.

Jesus went to the Cross and took it all for us.

ALL of it.

When we feel the burden of it, we can give it to Him again, and again, and again.

Some days, I take my hands and turn them palms facing up, and say out loud…”Take it Jesus. I cannot carry it anymore.”

He always takes it.

Always.

throwing that coat off…again,

jill