Laying Our Burdens Down

I was just recovering from a constant feeling of exhaustion and sickness during the beginning of my pregnancy.   I had finally begun to feel better and get caught up in my regular life of mothering and being a wife. This time of year always proves busy for me and my calendar, once again, was filled with seemingly impossible tasks to accomplish.   Then circumstances beyond my control began happening in my life and at first I was taking them all in stride.  For many weeks I kept telling myself things such as:

“This is just a season.”
“This too shall pass.”
“I can handle it.”
“It isn’t as bad as what others are going through.”

Typical encouragements I believe we all give ourselves to push through the tough periods in our lives.  I’m sure you can relate to one of these sayings or maybe you can think of several of your own.  I was running off reserves that were becoming dangerously low.  I was exhausted.

During this time my little girl decided she could not sleep alone in her bed.  Every night she’d cry out for someone to come lay with her.  If that didn’t work she’d try to sneak her way into our bed.  Night after sleepless night this went on.  More circumstances began heaping burdens onto me that I could not carry but, I kept pushing through. Although I felt like I was barely hanging on, I kept repeating those little “encouragements” to myself.

Then one morning, I woke up to realize that I had slept through the night without be summoned!  Feeling refreshed, I thanked God for a good nights rest and laid there for a moment taking it in before my day began.  Then I noticed my covers didn’t feel right and that they felt tight against my feet.  I looked down and curled up at the bottom of our bed, just below my feet, was my sleeping girl.

My child, lay your burdens at my feet, allow me to carry them for you.  You need only rest and be still, then you will be refreshed.

I was trying so hard for so long to merely survive that I had drowned out the voice of My Father who wanted me to find rest in Him.  But there He was in the still, quiet of the morning, teaching my anxious heart what it needed to learn most.

“Search me, God, and know my heart;
Test me and know my anxious thoughts…
Lead me to the way of everlasting.”
Psalm 139:23, 24

There will be seasons of our lives when our circumstances can leave us weak and weary.  But what we need to understand is that we are not alone and we do not need to carry the weight of these times on our own.  Our Father is right beside you and He promises to “never leave you nor forsake you.” (Joshua 1:5)

What burdens are you carrying that you need to lay at the feet of Jesus?

“Cast all your anxiety on him because He cares for you.”  1 Peter 5:7
“For my yoke is easy and my burden light.”  Matthew 11:30

I have adapted this prayer from Psalm 86:1-7 (NIV & MSG) and I have began praying it.  Take time to cast your burdens and then pray this prayer, reminding your heart where it should rest - in the hands of a faithful, capable and loving Father.

“Hear, O Lord, and answer me.
Guard my life, for I am devoted to you.
You are my God, have mercy on me.
Help me - I am depending on you!
I count on your from morning to night.
Bring joy to me for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you.
Pay attention, O God, to my prayer, bend down and listen to my cry for help.
Every time I’m in trouble I call on you, confident that you will answer.”