Hi aktikt,
Here is an email that will help you understand that verse better.
http://bible-truths.com/email3.htm ------------
Please pray for me. I know I am a spiritual coward and it shames me deeply.
Do you know any scriptures for encouragement and renewed faith?
[Ray Replies]
I would be happy to give your some Scriptures of encouragement.
When we can see our faults and weaknesses and admit them instead of denying them, we are already on the way to recovery.
Of Course, Jesus is the answer to EVERYTHING. But maybe you have already heard that, but it may not mean that much to you. How does that really work in the real world?
Notice in Matt. 11:20 what Jesus was doing AND WHY HE WAS DOING IT:
"
Then began he [Jesus]
to UPBRAID [reprove or correct them very sharply]
the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, BECAUSE THEY REPENTED NOT"That is the very same problem we have all had in our lives, WE DON'T REPENT OF THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW ARE WRONG. Repent means to see it, acknowledge it, and get rid of it!
When you repent of your sins and evils you automatically feel better and God Himself will give you rest (SPIRITUAL REST) from all your very heavy burdens. A guilty conscience is probably the worst burden that anyone can carry. But you will never, ever, get rid of a guilty conscience until you begin to REPENT and change your ways.
Down a few verses Jesus tells us what will happen if we will REPENT and start to OBEY His commandments:
"Come unto ME, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I WILL GIVE YOU REST! Take My yoke [this means to live your life with all its trials and tribulations, by living it CHRIST'S WAY]
upon you, and LEARN OF ME [read your Bible and DO WHAT CHRIST SAYS TO DO and DON'T DO WHAT HE SAYS NOT TO DO];
for I am meek and lowly in heart: and YOU SHALL FIND REST UNTO YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy [it will enable you to overcome the world, because Jesus overcame with world with His humble and meek attitude]
and my burden light" (Matt. 11:28-30).
When you find that you're too weak to overcome your sins and faults, IT WILL DRIVE YOU TO YOUR KNEES! You will call out to God, because you will know in your heart that you do not have the POWER to stop all of your sins. When you cry out to God He will hear, and He will give you strength and power to do what seemed so hard before.
Notice what fruit the Spirit of God will produce in your life:
"But the fruit of the Spirit is LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, GENTLENESS, GOODNESS, FAITH, MEEKNESS, SELF CONTROL: against such there is no law" (Gal. 5:22-23).
We all want these qualities in our lives, but they only come by crucifying our old carnal, selfish selves. The key is to: REPENT and OBEY. Read Matthew chapters 5, 6, and 7. They are filled with the things we are to do to find peace with God and peace with ourselves.
There are many Scriptures of encouragement, and you will learn them as you read and study God's Word. But you need a starting point and you need it RIGHT NOW! STOP DOING the obvious wrong things that you are doing and go to God in prayer and ask Him to CLEAN YOU UP! Trust me, he will answer your prayer.
Ray