Is your heart and mind burdened down with the weight of anxiety, fear, or worry? Many times King David, a man after God’s own heart, experienced difficulties that pulled him into worry, fretting, anger, fear, self-pity, and hopelessness. When the enemy pulls you in this direction, it can be a battle, but our Savior has given us His grace, knowledge, and the word of truth that is powerful and overcomes the negative stratagems of darkness.
King David had an honest, open, and real relationship with God, which gave him the freedom to feel and express his heart. In Psalm 10, when David was full of anxiety, fear, and worry, he said, “Lord, you seem so far away when evil is near! Why do you stand so far off as though you don’t care? Why have you hidden yourself when I need you the most? Then in vs.14, he spouted off his anger to the Lord about his enemy’s, as he confessed negativity-feeling the rage in his soul, as he let go and released the burden of his anger. After releasing, and by the end of this poetic prayer, he was glorifying God again. In vs. 17 he said, “Lord, you know and understand all the hopes of the humble and will hear their cries and comfort their hearts, helping them all.” Such a beautiful example of “casting your inner and outer burdens on the Lord”! David would honestly and openly cry out, and release through prayer the real feelings attached to his words of anger, hurt, fear, or hopelessness, sooner or later he would end up in a better place- praising, trusting, and believing his heavenly Father, even when his circumstances did not quickly change. David cast the negative on the Lord, and the Lord assisted, helped and supported him. The purpose of this type of praying is to release- it is a means to bring to an end what is pulling us away from our walk of faith with Lord Yahweh, and stealing our peace and joy!
Many times we cast our burden on the Lord-we take it back-we cast our burden on the Lord-we take it back. All of us have experienced being worried, talking it out with the Lord, releasing it onto Him, only to snatch it back when fear overtakes or circumstances go sour. This is a hard place to be, when our faith is tested, and we again pick up our burdens and struggle with our cares. At this point, we may be getting weary of going back to God to feel and talk it out, but He is not weary with us, and longs for us to return to Him, so He can help us find a place of rest and stability. We have to choose to keep casting our burdens on Him, so HE can take them, carry them and help us grow in faith, hope, and love. What a glorious God! He gives us salvation, and then daily he wants carry our burdens!
What are you carrying today that you need to release and put on Jesus through this type of releasing prayer? If it is hard for you to identify what you are feeling in your heart and mind, praying the Psalms can be a very helpful teacher. Your Mighty God will take your burdens and cares, as you open your heart and release them little bit, by little bit, into your Heavenly Father’s keeping. Now the burden is His, as you lean, rely, and trust Him-this is the overcoming victory He gives to those that love Him. David said, “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 rescue me”!
“Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you” (Psalm 55:22a).
