Prayer is an instrument and gift of God that gives us the power to release and channel our burdens onto His outstretched arms and nailed scarred hands. There are many legitimate and demanding cares that are a part of living in this world. Sometimes we get weighed down with our responsibilities, and we get pulled out of the peace of experientially leaning, relying and trusting in God’s grace, love, and faithfulness. With our hearts in this burdened condition, the enemy attempts to pull us into a panicked state of foreboding, waiting and expecting something bad to happen. We fear that the heaviness of our burden is going to cause us to blunder or fail. We also understand that a whole heap of feelings-fear, anger, and hurt- is wrapped up in our burdens.
Jesus the Nazarene understands our weaknesses, and desires to assist and teach us how to overcome and walk in faith, freedom, and liberation of heart. When we are concerned or fearful about moving through the ups and downs of life’s challenges, our humanness may attempt to grasp for control and try to figure out what we will do next, instead of releasing and surrendering control to the Lord. Attempting to control things creates more anxiety and will keep us from focusing on the truth of God’s promises to support, maintain, and work out whatever is pressing into our lives. When we forget to humble ourselves and be dependent on God’s amazing support and help through hard times, we tend to hold on to and carry the burdens in our hearts and minds. God the Father did not create us to bear burdens- we were created to walk in the peace, well-being, liberation and freedom that oneness with Christ brings. The Gentle Shepherd cares about everything that touches our lives, and lovingly watches over our every step, walking with us through good and bad times. He promises us that He will work all things out for our good (Rom 8:28).
Praying is the way we release our anxiety and worry onto Jesus -the weight is transferred from us onto Him-He can and will take it! Not only should we petition the Lord for what we need, but we must also cast our feelings onto the Lord. When we release onto Jesus our sadness- through tears-or our anger-by talking and feeling it at the same time- the weight is transferred from us onto Him. Prayer changes us for the better! Coming into His presence is the key that unlocks our hearts and opens us to His breathtaking peace that passes understanding. His Love has the power to clear our hearts, and push the heaviness and fears caused by our burdens out – making room for Christ’s changing, sustaining, powerful Holy Spirit to lift us up and bring encouragement. He promises that those who accept the sufficiency of the Lamb of God’s righteousness will be covered – we do not need to worry. As we learn to trust the spiritual process of connecting with the Lord through prayer, release, surrender waiting, trusting, and believing- we will not be defeated by the weight of our burdens. Those who love God will continue to move forward on the spiritual journey, and discover the truth of who I AM really is!
“So here’s what I’ve learned through it all: Leave all your cares and anxieties at the feet of the Lord, and measureless grace will strengthen you. He will watch over his lovers, never letting them slip or be overthrown. My life’s hope and trust is in you, and you’ll never fail to recue me!” (Psalm 55:22 tPt)
“Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you: He will never allow the [consistently] righteous to be moved [made to slip, fall, or fail].”(Psalm55:22 amp).
