Casting Our Burdens on the Lord

Psalm 55:22 says, “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” (See also Psalm 55:4-8.) Obviously, the two types of burdens we have studied previously are not to be cast upon the Lord. Here the Scripture deals with an entirely different type of burden.

In this context, burden comes from the Hebrew word yeah, which means what is given by providence and ascribed to us as our lot or burden. The burdens that David spoke of are ones over which we have no control. Often the bearer does not understand them. They can be spiritual or physical. In many cases, they are humanly impossible to bear but at the same time they cannot be avoided or escaped. Like a Siamese twin, often they cannot be removed from our lives.

Burdens of this nature can make us unhappy, tormented, and bitter if we are not careful. To avoid this, we must cast these burdens upon the Lord. In this category of burdens are sickness; disease; death of loved ones; tragedy; loss of limbs, hearing, or sight; financial disaster; broken homes; wayward children; a child with mental retardation or serious illness; persecution; incapacitating injuries; and so on. There is an endless list of life’s taxing burdens.

If we find ourselves in a situation such as this, we must refuse to allow bitterness, doubt, anger, or hurt to dominate our spirit. In such times, we should cling to the words of Peter: “Casting all your care upon him; for he Carter for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

When we cast our care and burdens on the Lord, He sustains us (Psalm 55:22). To sustain means to keep in existence, maintain, keep going, keep supplied with necessities carry the weight or burden of, strengthen the spirit, comfort, and encourage.

There are two ways in which God can sustain us. We should be submissive regardless of the method He chooses.

• Remove the Burden – God can and often uses this method of sustaining us; it is by far the easiest for us when He chooses to do so. Here are some examples:
  1. The cup passes from us.
  2. We are healed of sickness or infirmity.
  3. Our persecutor is taken out of the way, as Herod was.
  4. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, thus alleviating the family’s sorrow.
  5. God healed Job, gave him a family again, and restored his wealth.

If God does not see fit to remove or take away the cause of the burden when we cast it upon Him, He will use a second avenues of sustaining us.

• Hear Us Bear the Burden – Although this is difficult for us, it is often not God’s will to remove from us the burden we are bearing. God’s abiding promise remains the same even in these times – He will sustain us. Here are some examples:
  1. God preserved the New Testament church in persecution.
  2. The cup was not removed from Jesus, but an angel did strengthen Him.
  3. Paul’s thorn was not removed, but God gave him grace.
  4. In temptation, God makes a way of escape, that we may be able to bear it.

We should never doubt or question God’s sustaining methods, for His promises are yes and amen, and He abides faithful. David outlined seven personal responsibilities of the believer in such times (Psalms 37:1-37):

1. We are to trust in the Lord and do good (verse 3).
2. We are to delight ourselves in the Lord (verse 4).
3. We are to commit our way unto the Lord (verse 5).
4. We are to rest in the Lord (verse 7).
5. We are to cease from anger (verse 8).
6. We are to wait upon the Lord (verse 34).
7. We are to mark the perfect person and behold the upright (verse 37).