As human beings, we have to face a lot of things that we don’t necessarily desire to deal with. However, there are things we deal with that we can find enjoyment in. Yet and still there are things we are presented with that are placed on our plates to handle whether we like it or not and the only way to remove them—is to face them.
I can remember a not so pleasant season in my life that I had an overwhelmingly number of issues that showed up and gripped my soul like I had never experienced before. One by one I dealt with them and got them off my plate as quickly as I could. And even though the issues had been dealt with and somewhat completely resolved, I was still burdened down. I had no energy, no joy and I felt like I wanted to be by myself. Didn’t want to hear any sounds or see any people. Instead, I just wanted to sit in my recliner and exist.
One day in a desperate attempt to understand why I was feeling as I was even though I had successfully removed so many tasks from my plate, I realized that I was still dealing with the emotional residue that was left behind and lingering around. The emotional pain and discomfort of the task can weigh us down when left un-checked.
Picture this. When you eat a meal from off your plate—there is usually some morsel or residue of what you ate left on our plate. Until you rake the plate off and clean it—you will still have some crumbs leftover and hanging around. And if they are left hanging around too long—they can attract insects and other unwanted creatures. It is not until your plate is raked and then washed clean—will you be able place anything else on it. It’s time we free ourselves from the emotional trauma of the task we just dealt with. Yes, it’s time to Shake Yourself Loose and “Rake it off your Plate”.
The enemy of our soul wants to keep us weighed down in depression, hopelessness, sadness, and plain loneliness which are the residues left behind, but let me encourage you today, to take inventory of how you really feel and if need be, “Shake Yourself Loose”. “Rake It Off Your Plate.” You’ve dealt with—you’re done with it. Don’t let the residue hang around. The emotional burden of the issue can be the residue that’s keeping you from enjoying life. The emotional burdens of the task can weigh you down if you allow them to stay on your plate. “Shake Yourself Loose” today and remember to—“Rake It Off Your Plate”. Leave nothing behind as a constant reminder of what life has thrown at you. Instead embrace the fact that you‘ve dealt with it, and now it’s done! (Read Matthew 11:28-30)
