8 Questions for Those Struggling with the Burden of Sin
By Whitney Hopler
“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.” – Psalm 68:19
The huge stone birdbath in our backyard was more trouble than it was worth. The water did attract an occasional bird looking for a dip. But it didn’t take long for it to turn into a pungent mess of dirty water. It was hard to find the time to clean the birdbath regularly. So, we decided to get rid of that stone burden. First my husband offered it to a friend who had commented that he would like to get a birdbath for his own yard. My husband and his friend – who are both strong men – tried valiantly to lift the heavy birdbath. However, the birdbath proved as stubborn as the hard stone from which it was made, so the friend decided not to take it. Next, I placed ads for the birdbath on a community bulletin board and in our neighborhood newspaper. “Free large stone birdbath to someone who can haul it away from our yard,” the ads read. But there were no takers. Finally, my husband fired up a chainsaw and tried to hack away at the birdbath, intending to cut it up into pieces he could then carry to our car and drop off at a local dump. But the stone refused to yield, and my husband wisely stopped before his efforts landed him in an emergency room. Finally, in desperation, we decided to pay a junk removal company an exorbitant fee to relieve us of the birdbath. I rejoiced when I saw a worker haul that crushing stone burden out of our yard – and out of our lives. But I couldn’t help but think of all the struggles and stress we could have avoided if we had simply paid the price sooner.
Whenever I’m struggling under the weight of a sin in my life, I think of that birdbath. Sins can seem appealing for a while. They may provide an occasional fun distraction, like a bird that’s amusing to watch as it hops around. But sins are burdens that cause all kinds of trouble. We may think we can get rid of our sins ourselves. Yet, despite our best efforts, we still find ourselves tripping over the sins we wish weren’t there. We can’t escape the hard-as-stone ugliness of our sins.
The good news is that Jesus has already paid the price to remove the burdens of the sins from our lives. Only Jesus has the power to take the heaviness of sins away. Only Jesus can give us the freedom we need to live with joy. Through his ultimate sacrifice on the cross, Jesus has paid the price for sin completely. All of humanity can get rid of the heavy burden of sin by trusting Jesus as their Savior. Isaiah 53:6 reveals that God has laid “the iniquity of us all” on Jesus. Every day, we can give the burdens of our sins to Jesus, who has unlimited power to take them away. Jesus truly is “… God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens”, as Psalm 68:19 points out.
Since we paid the price to get rid of that birdbath, flowers grow in the backyard spot our birdbath used to cover. They’re reminders of the holiness that grows in our lives whenever we rely on God’s grace. Just imagine what beautiful things can grow in your life if you trust Jesus to take the heavy stone of your sins away. Remember, even the heavy stone that sealed his tomb couldn’t stop his resurrection. Everything – even the strongest stone – must yield to Jesus’ power!
Intersecting Faith & Life:
As you reflect on how Jesus bears the burdens of your sins and offers you freedom in exchange, consider these eight questions:
- What are the sin burdens you’re carrying right now that you need to confess and repent of?
- How does Jesus’ promise to forgive you and bear your burdens give you hope?
- How can you rely on Jesus’ unlimited strength, rather than your own limited strength, to move forward?
- What does it mean for you to find rest in Jesus?
- How can you practically experience this rest in the middle of your challenges and struggles?
- In what ways does the freedom Jesus gives you show up in your life?
- How does the freedom Jesus gives influence your perspectives, choices, and relationships?
- When you think of Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice for sin on the cross, how does that motivate you to live a life of obedience and gratitude?
Further Reading:
Matthew 11:28-30
Isaiah 53:4-6
2 Corinthians 5:21
John 8:36
Psalm 55:22
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Olga Strelnikova
Whitney Hopler helps people discover God's wonder and experience awe. She is the author of several books, including the nonfiction books Wake Up to Wonder and Wonder Through the Year: A Daily Devotional for Every Year, and the young adult novel Dream Factory. Whitney has served as an editor at leading media organizations, including Crosswalk.com, The Salvation Army USA’s national publications, and Dotdash.com (where she produced a popular channel on angels and miracles). She currently leads the communications work at George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Well-Being. Connect with Whitney on her website at www.whitneyhopler.com, on Facebook, and on X/Twitter.
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