“Get Over It!”

Dear Friends,
A severe case of pneumonia had landed me in the hospital. It took about a week of antibiotics and breathing treatments to get me to the point where I could return home. Even then, the effects of the infection limited what I could do without tiring. When, after several weeks, my energy level remained low, I made an appointment to see my physician, Dr. Wu.

I hate whining, but I felt like whining when I finally got to see the doctor. Laboring to get each word out, I began, “Doc, I had pneumonia weeks ago and I am still struggling to get through the simplest of tasks. How long before I begin to feel better?”

The doctor placed the stethoscope against my chest and listened intently for about a minute. Then, looking me straight in the eye, he raised his right hand, made the peace sign, brought the pointer finger and the middle finger together, and thumped me as hard as he could in the middle of my forehead.

“Get over it! You are fine.” He shouted. Then, turned and walked out of the room. That evening, I went out and played two sets of tennis.

Psychiatrists might say I had been suffering from an anxiety disorder. My mind had become accustomed to feeling poorly, and it took a thump on my forehead to awaken me to the fact that I was OK.

Guilt is another anxiety disorder. It can be an overwhelming burden when we try to handle it on our own.

King David wrote, “My guilt overwhelms me—it is a burden too heavy to bear.”
Psalm 38:4 (NLT)

The antidote for guilt is well known to followers of Christ: “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 (NIV)

Just now, as I was reading this Scripture, I noticed something that I had overlooked before. Jesus did not say, “I’ll take your yoke.” He said, “Take my yoke.” In other words, leave behind the yoke you have been carrying (the life you have been living and the guilt you have been carrying) and find rest in your new life in Christ.

Any guilt you’ve been carrying was part of an old life. You are living a new life:
If anyone belongs to Christ, then he is made new. The old things have gone; everything is made new! 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)

If you’re still carrying that yoke of guilt, you can find freedom by turning your burden over to the Lord. He is quicker to forgive you than you can forgive yourself.

The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
Psalm 103:8-12 (NIV)

What about the sin the “new me” committed yesterday? Shouldn’t I feel guilty about that one? No. Guilt is destructive; try replacing it with a sincere desire to do better. Living your life looking in the rear-view mirror keeps you from seeing the joys that lay on the road ahead.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

Blessings,
Your Friends in Christ