Cast Your Burdens

“Cast your burdens on the Lord, and He will support you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” (Psalm 55:22 CSB)

A “burden” is generally a heavy object that has to be carried. A “beast of burden” is typically a donkey that carries heavy loads, or an ox that pulls a plow, or a horse that carries a rider. Carrying these heavy loads requires great energy that may be in short supply. Struggle and pain may be involved, and the only relief that comes is when the load is off-loaded.

People carry burdens of a different sort, but what is true of a beast of burden is essentially how those who carry a burden of heart or soul feel about it. The load is heavy. It takes a lot of energy that may not be there. Struggle and pain are often involved. But there is a difference. A beast of burden cannot do anything about the load it bears. We can.

We can cast our burdens on the Lord, and He will support or sustain us. In other words, we can bring our burdens before the Lord, and He will help us in one of at least two ways. First, He may help us “off-load” them. He may bring complete resolution to what burdens us, as He did with King Hezekiah. Hezekiah was burdened with illness, and God sent Isaiah to tell him to put his house in order since he was going to die. Hezekiah cast his burden on the Lord, and the Lord healed him.

Second, if God does not off-load our burdens, He will give us the strength to carry them and cope with them. Paul had his “thorn in the side.” Three times he asked God to remove it, but God simply said, “My grace is sufficient for you.” And God enabled Paul to live with that burden and to thrive in spite of it.

Lord, Help us today to cast our burdens on You and trust You with the outcome. Amen.