Entrust Endlessly

“Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never permit the righteous to be moved.” Psalm 55:22/ESV

“Pile your troubles on God’s shoulders – he’ll carry your load, he’ll help you out. He’ll never let good people topple into ruin.” (The Message).

Psalm 55:22 is one of those familiar verses that everyone knows by heart. It is a verse that is graciously and lovingly handed out by pastors, good friends, and caring people trying to encourage you when you are experiencing trials.

Don’t carry that load; it’s too heavy. Give it to God!

Being an attentive friend sometimes causes us to say well-meaning words and share verses with those who are suffering. We want those we care about to not be in pain, but it isn’t always that easy. If we don’t know the history of someone, we may not know how the current sorrow truly affects them.

Before you speak words of comfort, ask the Lord how best to encourage your friend or family member.

In the same way, we ourselves cannot aimlessly throw our distress to God. Yes, sometimes in our lives when we are so crushed by what is happening, all we can do is speak the name of Jesus…

“The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18),

…during those times of calling out the name of Jesus, the cries are coming from the depths of our souls with genuineness.

The aspiration of casting our cares on the LORD is a full release of the weight from our shoulders. The release of the burden seems so easy and would truly be desired…

If only…

How many times have you been to a youth camp where you wrote your burdens secretly on a piece of paper in a ceremonial process and then as a group joyfully released those symbolic burdens into a flaming barrel, (but not as scorching as the flaming fire Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego experienced!), with a hopeful ambition of never remembering those painful arrows again?

Have you taken part in a Good Friday church service, wherewith tear-stained paper, illuminating harshly written words of cruel things against you, or shamed descriptions of what you had once done to someone else, you faintly walk to the front of the sanctuary with lead-weighted feet and attach the paper to a life-size wood cross? As you slowly stumble back to your chair, you nearly collapse from the emotional fatigue, but then… a shimmer of hope shines in your heart, and for once, you believe those burdens are finally gone… only days later to be opening those same doors in your mind. Why?

I believe the commentary from Matthew Henry, a pastor from the 1700’s, gives us a hint…

“In every trial let us call upon the Lord, and he will save us. He shall hear us, and not blame us for coming too often; the oftener the more welcome” (emphasis added).

I have found more recently, that to release my grief, anxiety, disappointment, sin, and heartbreak to the Lord, I have to spend more time with Him in prayer.

Sundays, my practice is to watch a sermon online because of the pandemic the churches still shut special needs ministries down (in our area), and childcare workers are almost zero. This past Sunday was communion Sunday.

Even after the service was over, and I had already taken communion, I spent time on my knees confessing and, with my whole heart, soul, and mind, entrusting all of my uncertainties and anxieties in my life. Afterward, the connection with the Lord was as deep as an endless well.

Previously, I have created a blessings jar, writing blessings as they occur, putting them in the jar, and then in the New Year rejoicing over all God had done. I know many others that do that same activity. Let me also suggest something a little different along with that activity. Why not make a jar where you can write your anguish, anxieties, the hurtful things people have done to you, and the sins that you also have done?

Why?

If you ignore the trials or carelessly give them to God, or stuff them inside and quietly be upset and hurt, they will resurface… over and over and over again. When you write them on paper, you can fully release them to God. Stick the paper in the jar and at the end of the week, give each to God again. You will find over time, and with repetition, the more you dwell in the presence of the Lord and share your burdens, the more frequently the peace will come. The trials don’t always disappear, but you can have peace in the presence of them (Isaiah 26:3-4).

The Lord knows how we are, He knows we are but dust (Psalm 103:14). He knows we are weak. That is why He wants us to spend more time with Him so that He can strengthen us. As Matthew Henry said, “He shall hear us, and not blame us for coming too often; the oftener the more welcome.”

Entrust your endless cares to God for He loves you.

Be grateful that you have someone who will walk with you in the fire!

Meditate further: Proverbs 3:5-6, Romans 12:12, James 1:12.