Laying Down Your Burden
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SOUL TRAINING
Laying Down Your Burden
In the classic novel Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan writes an allegory of the Christian life. In it, he describes the journey of a man, aptly named “Christian,” who is convinced of his sin and burdened by it. In an early scene, Christian carries a heavy load on his back—representing the weight of his many sins. He carries his burden to the cross, where he finds release and relief. Bunyan describes it this way:
Now I saw in my dream, that the highway up which Christian was to go was fenced on either side with a wall; and that wall was called “Salvation.” Up this way, therefore, did burdened Christian run; but not without great difficulty, because of the load on his back. He ran thus till he came at a place somewhat ascending; and upon that place stood a Cross, and a little below, in the bottom, a sepulcher.
So I saw in my dream, that just as Christian came up to the cross, his burden loosed from off his shoulders, and fell from off his back, and began to tumble; and so continued to do till it came to the mouth of the sepulcher, where it fell in, and I saw it no more. . . .
Then he stood still awhile to look and wonder; for it was very surprising to him, that the sight of the cross should thus ease him of his burden. He looked therefore, and looked again, even till the springs that were in his head sent the waters down his cheeks. . . . Then Christian gave three leaps for joy, and went on singing:
“Thus far did I come laden with my sin,
Nor could aught ease the grief that I was in,
Till I came hither. What a place is this!
Must here be the beginning of my bliss!
Must here the burden fall from off my back!
Must here the strings that bound it to me crack!
Blest cross! blest sepulcher! blest rather be
The Man that there was put to shame for me!”
While Pilgrim’s Progress may be seen by some as a simple story written at the level of a child, the truth is that this book, written when Bunyan was imprisoned for his faith, became a bestselling book. In fact, by some estimates it is the second bestselling book of all time after the Bible.
If this is so, why? I have been blessed by the book and taught the book in college classes, and I have seen firsthand that it speaks truth to the journey of many Christians. The burden of our sin is heavy. And the release we find at the cross is one of the most freeing experiences we can ever have.
An exercise I have found instructive is to find something heavy, like a bag of potatoes, a backpack, or a stack of books. Walk down the hall and back (or even around the house) carrying it. As you walk:
Think of the heavy item as your sins you are carrying.
Ask, what specific sins do you still carry, even though God has removed them from you as far as the east is from the west?
Name these sins you still carry, even if only from time to time.
Let Jesus be a table, and unload your burden onto Jesus.
Then walk slowly down the hall and back (or around the house) again.
Notice how much easier it is to walk.
Then come back to Jesus (the table) and thank Jesus for carrying your burdens, so that you no longer have to carry them, ever.
Then take the walk again, imagining Jesus right beside you as you walk without the burden. Notice how this feels when the weight has been lifted.
Take a few moments to write about your experience and insights from this exercise.