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Nothing to Say, But Can't Shut Up - haha! That's what I thought I should call my blog! What I write here might not mean a thing to you and I'm pretty o.k. with that. However, I have an active mind and like to sort things out out loud, so to speak. I also like to have deep conversations so feel free to jump in and comment. I'm glad you showed up and took the time to read. Welcome!

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Be Free!

A few years back I went to a Beth Moore Living Proof seminar in Atlanta. During this teaching time, she described the problem with us stuffing our problems down and not dealing with them as paper that we crumble up and stuff into a trash can. She taught that we're able to get a lot of paper in that can as long as we keep pressing down harder and harder. Eventually, there's so much paper in there we have to climb in the trash can and stand on the paper to make it stay put. That system works just fine until you have another problem somewhere else and have to step out of that trash can. Then the paper (problem) rises up and you realize it's a "900 lb. Goliath". 


Oh the truth in that! Repressing problems just doesn't work. Through the years I've had reason to deal with many people struggling in their lives (me being one of them) with issues from the past that have not been dealt with. We squash and squash that proverbial paper down and then one day (the timing of which we have no control over) something makes this monster in our lives stand up and demand our attention. I'm here to tell you it often is not a pretty sight. 


One of the things I've also noticed is that we are blind to how much energy we're using to hold the monsters in our lives down. Our efforts to bury these issues causes us internal turmoil that we contend with and begin to think are normal - thing is, they're not normal and there can be freedom and liberation.


I'm thinking about all of this for 2 reasons. The first is that I've been unpacking all of that literal stuff that I wrote about a few days ago. In this process I realized that burying my junk in the basement or attic did not make it go away. As all of the boxes arrive, I just keep looking at stuff that I've neglected to deal with through the years. I've hidden it and pretended it didn't exist. Not only that, I've often added to it. So now, here I am and I have to deal with it all because there just isn't any place to put this stuff. And guess what. It's harder now than ever to part with it or decide how to handle. I've gotten "comfortable" with it and attached to it. I've accepted it's place in my life as normal.


We can do that with our negative experiences, too, but the thing is much like my accumulated junk, they have a way of finding us. The 2nd reason I'm thinking about all of this is that I'm having a hard time breaking through to my next season of weight loss. Your reason for examining your life junk might be different than a weight issue but don't miss the point. Our issues manifest themselves in our lives. I have learned that continual overeating and failure to prioritize good health habits often, if not always, have roots in emotional, traumatic events in our lives. Because of that I'm looking deeper than just what I eat and what I do for exercise. Those things are superficial. If I don't get to the root of the problem, the good habits just won't stick. 


In order to make the progress I've made over the past 4 years, I've had to do a lot of soul searching and force myself to deal with the things God has shown me about myself. It's not an easy process but it allows God to heal me and it frees me in a wonderful way. Hopefully, as a result,  I'll be able to comfort others with the similar needs. 


Don't let past pains and sorrows weigh you down and trap you. Having too much junk in your life is burdensome. I cannot tell you how free I feel with each load we carry to the dump or give away. Letting go is liberating. Are you holding on to bitterness and pain, refusing to forgive another, squashing down hurts and pains and sorrows like so much paper in a trash can? Take it to the Lord. Jesus tells us He will carry our burdens and that we can take His yoke which isn't heavy. Be free. 

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