#6. God unburdens us through prayer (Matt. 11:28-30; 1 Pt. 5:7)
If we knew how much God loved us and was for us, we’d talk to Him all day long.
-Donald Miller
Be much alone with God, and take time to get thoroughly acquainted. Converse over everything with Him. Unburden yourself wholly -every thought, feeling, wish, plan, doubt- to Him…He wants not merely to be on good terms with you, but to be intimate.
-Horatius Bonar
I enjoy the gym. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, you can’t really tell! But I usually attempt to make it to the gym 3-4 times per week even if I’m feeling really lousy (which, if you know me, is more times than I care to admit at the moment). One of the exercises I used to do was the bench press to work out my chest muscles. I say that past-tense because I had a little incident with the bench press that I don’t care to repeat.
One time, as I was doing a few reps on the bench, my shoulder popped out of joint sending searing pain down my whole arm which in turn, yup you guessed it, made me drop ALL the weight that was on either side of the bar hurl down onto my chest! And, of course I didn’t have a spotter, which then made the whole bar with all the weights topple over in a thunderous heap! If I’d have had a spotter, he would have seen my distress and grabbed the bulk weight of the bar and helped me put it back on the bench rack. See where I’m going with this?
You see, much the same way as a “spotter” who helps guide a weight lifter, the Lord guides and directs our life in such a way that, when we come to Him in prayer, He is able to not only relieve our burdens, but carries the weight of them for us so we no longer have to. “Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest (Matt. 11:28).” This isn’t just a flippant suggestion from the Lord. It’s a beautiful promise. He desires to have us openly, prayerfully, sickly, wearily, come to him and rest in His open arms. In fact, when we look closer at the full scope of Scripture that talks about laying our burdens down, many times over it’s not a request.
“Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken (Ps. 55:22; emphasis mine).”
Faithful brother or sister, have the tools of life bitten in to you? Are you sometimes so weary that you can hardly stand? Are you wondering where our faithful Father is in your distress? Do you feel alone and often in the dark? Go to the Lord with your anguish, your tired bones, your frail countenance, and let Him sustain you. Be open and honest about your burdens. Cast them down at the foot of the cross, believing that each one of them has been fully taken care of by the precious blood of Christ. We no longer fight alone. The One who has given you life has said that you will have it MORE abundantly as you focus on Him.
Don’t delay any longer! Don’t buy in to the lie that you have to somehow pick yourself up before going to the Lord. He loves you and longs for you to enjoy His presence…just as you are. Go now and go with assurance that the God of all comfort will indeed be waiting.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You that You are the greatest comfort I will ever need. Help me to realize this when life gets hard and at times unbearable. Help me believe with everything in me that You are the One who sustains me. In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Blessings,
Clay
Clayton J. Elliott
Director of Pastoral Ministries and Prayer, KMUSA