JUST SAY "GOOD RIDDANCE!" FOR HEALTHY LIVING

Has pain from the past
Become a great grievance?
Just give it to God,
And then say, "Good riddance!"

Is your grieving and sorrow
Too heavy to bear?
Give it over to Jesus,
And then leave it there.

Are your duties so many
They've become an encumbrance?
Turn it over to Him
And then say, "Good riddance!"

Do you struggle with life?
Do you question and fret?
Remember the Saviour
Will never forget.

Does life in the present
Seem beyond endurance?
Give it over to Him
And then say, "Good riddance!"

Stop carrying your load;
Unburden your soul.
Let the Lord Jesus Christ
Take over the whole.

Lay it all at His feet
And walk in obedience.
Let Jesus take charge
And just say, "Good riddance!"

This, I grant, is not the best poetry in the world, but I wanted to make a point in a poetic way. We so often carry our burdens, allow sorrow to weigh us down, try to "get on with life" without dealing with pain from the past and struggles in the present. It doesn't work. They always come back to "haunt" us, to sidetrack us and sometimes derail us. The best way to deal with these things is to take them to the Lord in prayer, tell Him all about how you feel, let go of the whole and leave it there. Then shout out, "Good riddance!"

We don't need to carry these things in our own strength. Jesus has promised to be our Burden-Bearer, our Guide, our Provider, our Comfort, our Hiding Place, our Deliverer, our Strong Tower, a Father to the fatherless and a Husband to the widow. He wants us to surrender everything to Him so that He can have full control of our lives and be free to lead us into our destiny.

When we have learned to leave it all with Him, there is good reason to shout out, "Good riddance!" It brings freedom, joy, a lightness of spirit that helps us go through all the trials that life brings. The Lord will not give us more than we can handle, but we have the choice of whether to take on burdens of our own or to take His yoke which is easy, His burden which is light. This is the way to healthy living physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually and relationally. Just dump it all on Jesus and rid yourself of an unnecessary weight.

Yes, I'm giving you a push here. Come on, you can do it! It's time! Let me hear you shout it out! "Good riddance!"