Burdens
Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. ~ Psalm 68:19
As hard as it is to hear your young husband’s brain cancer diagnosed with “no cure,” my late friend, Jennifer Kennedy Dean, told me that in that moment a divine blanket of peace descended on them both, and the Source of comfort entered into their lives in a fresh way.
“God is not a burden giver,” Jennifer recalled, “testing you to see just how much he can pile on you and still leave you standing. He is the burden bearer. When we learn to hand over burdens in the daily issues of life, we’ll be ready when the big ones come along.”
What is your heaviest burden today?
Whatever they are, we do not carry them alone. “Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.” Psalm 55:22
The ultimate role of the church is to be Christ to one another—“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2 The New Testament Greek word here is baras—“a heavy weight pressing down on another person.”
Into the middle of all this comes Jesus. The One who offers to walk beside us and carry All This Stuff. He says, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:30
Will you offload your burden(s) to Him today?
Why not visualize your own list as piled into a large suitcase. Now wheel that suitcase over to the cross, and kneel down. Unzip it and begin to take out each item. In an act of complete surrender, offer that burden back to God: “Dear Lord, I have been carrying this [name the person, situation, or emotion] for so long. I am utterly broken under the weight, and need to be yoked to you for strength. So I surrender to You now, and pray that I might continue this journey with You in full healing. Amen.“
Don’t pick them up again! Go forth with praise on your lips and a spring in your step, knowing that you are free.
BENEDICTION: My child, I know it is unspeakably heavy, this burden you have been bearing for way too long. And my desire is to not only lift it off you, but to lay it down forever. Will you come and relinquish to Me? I can bear anything. And now you can walk freely.
Every Blessing, Lucinda
“Helping You Choose a Life of Serenity and Strength”
©2022 Lucinda Secrest McDowell www.LucindaSecrestMcDowell.com
Lucinda Secrest McDowell is a storyteller and seasoned mentor who engages both heart and mind while “Helping You Choose a Life of Serenity & Strength.” She has authored 16 books including “Soul Strong – 7 Keys to a Vibrant Life” , “Life-Giving Choices – 60 Days to What Matters Most,” “God’s Purpose for You,” and “The Courage to Write.” (Purchasing my books here benefits me as an Amazon associate.) She writes from “Sunnyside” cottage in New England and shares encouraging words weekly at LucindaSecrestMcDowell.com
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Lovely, Cindy. A good reminder at a time when so much is so heavy to bear.
Thank you, Cindy, for your consistent encouragement.
Love this!
Always filled with faith and inspiration. Thank you
My prayer is “Help me to trust You, and not pick up what I have given over.” Silly of us, but it’s what we DO!
Cindy -
This is just what I needed today,, feeling burdens.
I love the thought of the “divine blanket of peace “and just prayed that over the phone for a family member who just got COVID.
Thank you!
Barb