“Cast your burden on the Lord,
& He will sustain you.”
Psalm 55:22a
With all that is happening in our nation and in the hearts of people I’ve struggled with finding the words to describe this season and how my soul has felt. As I pray I’ve frequently found myself at a loss for words…there’s so much that needs prayer but all that seems to come out is: “Oh Jesus, we need You. Only You.” There’s a soul ache and heaviness that I haven’t known exactly how to process.
So as I was reading Psalm 55 and asking Jesus to help me surrender what is beyond my comprehension the word BURDEN is verse 22 stood out to me.
“That’s it. That’s what I haven’t been able to find the word for — burdened.”
So I had to examine my heart and ask: am I choosing to carry a burden that Jesus has commanded me to surrender to Him?
When faced with a burden, I have a choice: either to carry it myself and rely on my own strength OR I can choose to cast my burden on Jesus and allow HIM to carry it. And when He carries it, He also sustains me.
In order for the LORD to sustain me, I MUST cast my burden onto Him.
So I must ask the question: If I’m not casting my burden onto Jesus, then what is sustaining me?
The word sustain comes from sustenance; and when I think of sustenance I think of something that is necessary for my survival, I think of a place where I go for provision, rest, nourishment, strength, encouragement, endurance, perseverance…without sustenance I would not be able to continue because I would no longer have what is necessary.
The Hebrew definition of sustain is to contain, maintain, support, hold in, and restrain. I love the imagery that description brings. Because while the enemy seeks to destroy, unravel, rob, and divide us; Jesus is the one holding us, keeping us, and sustaining us.
So I ask myself: what am I relying on for sustenance?
Myself? My strength, ability, resources & energy? Or God’s?
I want to allow the One who created me, the One who knows my needs before I do, to sustain me. He is the only One who can sustain me:
When I don’t have the answers.
When it doesn’t make sense.
When I don’t understand.
When it’s overwhelming.
When it seems hopeless.
When the weight is crushing.
I’m so grateful that He’s not surprised or overwhelmed by my burdens.
Instead, He WANTS them.
If the weight of the burden you’re carrying feels like it’s gonna crush you, cast it onto the shoulders of your Almighty Heavenly Father. You were never designed to carry the weigh of it anyway.
God knew we would be burdened so He gave us verses like Psalms 55:22 and 1 Peter 5:7 says: “casting all your care [worry/anxiety] upon Him, for He cares for you.”
Jesus cares for you like no one else in the world ever will.
Don’t avoid the burden or act like you can carry it! Cast it on Him!
When I’m burdened with something I frequently have to cast it on the Lord multiple times, because too often, I pick it back up… but the word “cast” means throw, hurl, or fling. It’s not a half-hearted, light, nonchalant “toss” it’s an utterly COMPLETE & TOTAL SURRENDER with no hope of retrieval…
We can attempt to avoid the burden and the consequent exhaustion that carrying it brings… but it’s there, sooner or later you’re going to have to face it.
And then, once you face it, you will have to determine: am I going to keep carrying this and acting like I’m “strong enough” or am I going to cast it onto the Lord?
For a long time I thought of this word “casting” as an avoidance, an “easy way out,” or an “escape” of what was burdening me. But as I’ve asked Jesus (and continue to ask Him) how to cast my burdens onto Him I’m learning that casting my burden is a choice to surrender what is beyond my comprehension and control. When I cast the burden on Him it allows me to not crumble under the weight of what I cannot control so He can sustain me for what He has called me to.
The burden doesn’t change but WHO’S carrying it does. It doesn’t mean that I neglect the burden as if it doesn’t exist or excuse it, but I realize that ultimately God is the only one strong enough to carry it. I cannot hold it up myself.
And, once I grasp that, I am free to walk in His sustaining strength.
