Taking it to the Cross is easy. Leaving it there requires faith.

Lately, one of my spiritual go-to friends has been trying to teach me a valuable lesson that I thought I'd learned ages ago. I didn't realize until earlier this week just what they were up to.

Whenever I had a look of frustration, voiced words of doubt, expressed fear or anxiety in any way, or started to question something, they'd simply look at me and say, "take it to the Cross, Kriss." If you know me well enough, you can probably guess that it took all of three times of them saying that before I was ready to mouth-off and explain how I'd ALREADY taken it to the Cross... I'd prayed about it, I'd journaled about it, I talked it over with Jesus, etc, and just what exactly did they mean?!

Finally, after weeks of hearing this reply to everything, it dawned on me... I may immediately take things TO the Cross, but do I really LEAVE them there? Am I truly surrendering ALL to Him?

When Christ hung on the cross, He took all of my sin... all of it. That includes my fears, my anger, my shame, my doubts, my sadness... any of the things that keep me from focusing on His face.

Colossians 2:13b-15 He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

He forgave ALL of our sins. He canceled our debt. He took the condemnation away. He took away the power and authority of these sins in our lives. He didn't just take them away either! After He took them away, He made a spectacle of them and triumphed over them. They are powerless. They are NOTHING. He eliminated them.

As sins pop up in our lives, we must give them over to Him. We must surrender them to Him. When I take my sins and burdens to the Cross, I'm meeting Him there, asking Him to take these things from me and free me of their oppression in my life. Jesus gladly takes the burdens upon Himself and sends me back on my way to keep working for Him in this world.

1 John 3:4-6 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.

If I fail to give Him each and every part of the things I bring to the Cross, I am neglecting to fully surrender all to Him. I am not trusting Him to carry the entire weight of these burdens. I am failing to LEAVE these items at the Cross. Taking it to the Cross is easy. Leaving it there requires faith. Once they are left at the Cross, they are gone. They do not exist. God has cast them as far as the east is to the west (Psalm 103:12). They are GONE.

As frustrated as I became with the constant answer of "take it to the Cross, Kriss", I am so very thankful for this reply now. Now, it's my immediate response to any situation. Now, I don't just take it to the Cross, I leave it there. Jesus is big enough to handle any and all of these burdens. It's not my job to carry these things around. My job is to keep my gaze on Jesus' face and live out His purpose in my life. It's not my job to fear, doubt, get angry, judge, question or blame. It's my job to share the Gospel and to love others. Once they are completely left in Jesus' hands, these burdens and sins have absolutely no control over my life anymore.

Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Psalm 16:8 I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

So, go ahead, TAKE it to the Cross. But, be sure you LEAVE it there! Then, burdens eliminated, go joyfully back into the world and GET BACK TO WORK!!