I woke up with this seemingly unshakeable heaviness. As I walked down the hallway, I could not tell whether the hot yellow sun or the heaviness on my soul was the cause of my irritation. I, however, ignored the feeling.
As I went about the different tasks of the day, I soon forgot about the heaviness I felt. But as I stepped back into my room and lay on my bed, those thoughts returned. It came with it the familiar heaviness. I heard a question from a familiar voice. She asked, “ARE YOU OKAY?” I quickly answered, “YES, I AM.” She asked again, “ARE YOU SURE?” And even though deep down I knew I was lying, I replied, “I AM OKAY.”
I rocked myself to a sad sleep with this reply. But within a few minutes, I could hear a voice again. I thought I was in my room initially, but as the voice got clearer, I knew I was not in my room. It was a vast white land. I could see the voice as he spoke.
He said, “That heaviness is like a force pulling you from within your soul, giving you unrest and taking away your peace. It has to be addressed. Why do you deal with the effects of the problem and not the root of the problem?”
I was baffled, so I asked, “What do you mean by this?”
He replied, “You shake off that feeling by sleeping, walking, watching tv, singing, gisting, eating, maybe some tears too. But you know deep down that it is still there. It seems to disappear for a while, but soon enough, it is back. I am saying that you have to think of the real reason why you feel the way you do.”
“But how can I do that?”, I asked. I was so used to ignoring the feeling that I wasn’t aware that it was not normal.
“Think about it in prayer. When did it start, and why? What caused it? When you find out the problem, only then can you effectively find the solution through the Word of God and address the situation accordingly. You do not know if the heaviness was God calling you into more profound things and the secret place. Do you remember Ezekiel when the waters were measured onto him?”
“Yes, I do,” I replied quickly.
“The water could signify the force driving you into deeper realms God is calling you into. And unfortunately, you do not know how to respond in these situations and are unaware that it is a season you are going through. It could also be a call to repentance of sin or trespass against another person.
The Holy Spirit keeps pricking your conscience of what you have done wrong. When King Saul disobeyed God, a distressing spirit from God was sent to him, and it was only when another anointed man of God -David, played his harp that he became okay for a while. It could also be a call to be a season of waiting on the Lord. I encourage you to hold unto the Word you heard from the beginning.”
With these final words, I woke up startled from my sleep. It had been long since I experienced something so strange. I immediately picked up my Bible and knelt to pray as I felt that God was not done speaking to me.
At that moment, I realized that the environment I found myself could also be a reason for this heaviness. It was just like the parable of the sower. When the sun was up, they were scorched, and because they had no root, they withered away.
Some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them (Matthew 13:6-7). Because I was not deeply rooted in God, the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, or the worries of this life could cause some emotional struggles, weighing me down and drawing me away from the presence of GOD. I realized that I had to remain in his company and grow my roots. In Him is a place of constant joy and peace.
I felt the Holy Spirit draw me towards the life of David, who was very expressive with his emotions. He was open and sincere, and he also communicated to God how he was feeling. He said in Psalms 6: “My soul is greatly troubled.” “I am weary with my groaning; All night, I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with my tears.”
He didn’t come masking how he felt but was vulnerable before GOD, and HE enjoyed that David came as a friend unashamed. That was pure intimacy. He was indeed a man after God’s heart. He also engaged in the power of praises to GOD: for the spirit of heaviness put on the garment of praise.
At that moment, I unlocked a powerful weapon – the garment of praise. I immediately found myself shouting and jumping excitedly, “Praiiisssee the Lord!!!! HALLELUJAH!!!!!!!!!!!”
“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: In thy presence is fulness of joy; At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”
Psalm 16:11 KJV
After a few minutes of praising God, I was genuiely free from that heaviness.
Dear Reader, What do you do when you feel that sense of heaviness? Or you are anxious or fearful. Do you pray and seek God’s Word to know why you feel so?
Never be quick to discard the nudges you sense in your Spirit. Remember the words of Jesus in John 14:26-27: But the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
The Holy Spirit is already here, and with His help, you will unlock the real reason for the heaviness you feel. But never forget to put on the garment of praise.
Sheytie Grace
Think about it in prayer🔥