Have you ever found yourself at the end of "your" rope only to hear God saying, you are right where I want you?  The revelation that you are not there by happenstance but by His divine hand can be life changing if we allow ourselves to grab ahold of it, especially during the times where we find ourselves tired and spend from the activity of life; Exhausted from pressing through in our own strength and coming face to face this the fact that we have once again  bought into the lie the lie that we can do this life on our own.

It was on one of these day that I asked God, "If this is life, why does it seem so difficult?"

The Lord's reply was this, "My dear child check your pockets. There you will find many things that I have not intended for you to carry. Some of the load, you willingly picked up by your own free will. Things that looked good and may have been in well doing, yet they were not my will for you to do. Those things you can put down at my feet. For where I am taking you, deeper in me, you will have no use for those things there.

In obedience, I reached in and took those things that the Lord had spoken of from my pocket and placed them at his feet; A sacrifice to his goodness.  For those things, though NOT meant for me, they were picked up with a right and willing heart, which the Lord recognizes.

The Lord then spoke again, "My child, there have been inescapable things, like sickness, death & sadness put upon you that are part of living in this world. However, these thing  were fashioned with you in mind, specific to your weaknesses, but you were never meant to carry them. Those were the burdens of this life that I am to carry for you. I am the burden bearer. Give them unto me & I will give you rest.

I took the remainder of the contents from my pocket and placed them in his outstretched hands. Just before I fully released my burdens into his hands, I saw the scars. Immediately Jesus saw my face & whispered, "no fear, my child. I did it for you and I will continue what I started upon that cross. Now follow me for I have much to show you"

As I stepped out beside him. I knew that he had great and mighty things to show me and that he was taking me to a place deeper in Him.  A place that would have been impossible for me to go had I not obeyed and emptied my pockets.  

The Lord is calling each of us to empty our pockets so that we can follow Him to new places of safety deeper in Him, not to hide  but  to truly live from the place of abidance in Him.

Charlette Ruf is a lay leader of Gateway Church in Ashtabula, Ohio.  Her heart is to see others living in the freedom that Christ purchased for them.  Currently, she serves on the Wave Leadership Team and co-leads Sisterkeepers Ministry, the women's ministry of her church.