Burdens and Worries: 4 Ways to Leave Them Behind

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1Peter 5:1

Photo: Renae Bowman

Photo: Renae Bowman

No matter the delivery—you know it when you get it.

Whether by phone call, or snail mail, or email—you just know when the news hits it signals a coming storm.

Out of nowhere, in an instant, clouds of angst take over a clear blue sky.

For me, my storm arrived in a crisp white envelope. I knew as soon as I opened it, this isn’t going to be good. My heart sank. I held a breath. A ripple started right then as if a stone was dropped into my quiet little pond of life. The clouds appeared—and they were getting darker by the minute.

I prayed instantly.
I prayed continuously.
I prayed the whole darn day!

And it touched a nerve of weakness in my faith.

I deem it the “she giveth it and she taketh away” syndrome.

Maybe you know this syndrome.
It goes something like this:
Me: Jesus, here is my problem, I lay it down at your feet. It’s big. Take it.
Jesus: Happily my dear.
Me: Wait, I need it back.
Jesus: Why?
Me: Cuz I have to worry over it. I have to try to solve it.
Jesus: Well that’s just crazy!
Me: You made me! You know I’m crazy that way.
Jesus: But I told you to give me your burdens.
Me: Yeah, in theory, but if I leave it there it won’t get done.
Jesus: Really?
Me: Uhhh yeah! That’s how it goes.
Jesus: It doesn’t have to.
Me: Sure seems that way.
Jesus: Your decision, not mine!

I’m wondering if you might have a touch of the same syndrome?

You know this doesn’t always have to be, right?
We can respond differently.
But it takes some understanding. Some practice.

So how would that look?
What does a successful leaving it and letting it, look like?

For the times I didn’t take it back and felt God’s hand over me with peace, these were the common denominators:

Stay in the here and now—
It is easy to forget…clouds will appear but they don’t all bring rain.
Sometimes burdens get big in our minds, but stay little in reality.
My first prayer now is for clarity. Always. It is a deep and continuous prayer to stay in the moment and to deal only with what is in front of me and not to venture beyond.

“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” Matthew 6:27

 

Lowered expectations—
Of course God can do anything and everything. But not every problem disappears.
When I understand leaving and letting to Him is about sustaining, not removing, then handing it over becomes easier. The expectation becomes about strength not about a miracle.

“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you…” Psalm 55:22

 

It’s not always a God thing—
Not everything is God touched. Sometimes storms rise up that have nothing to do with God. Sometimes He wasn’t a part of it and He didn’t make it happen.
It’s. Just. Life.
To see God as the problem solver, not the problem maker, keeps us focused on the end game not the blame game.

“For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.” 1 Corinthians 14:33

 

Know the source—
It’s about confidence in the gatekeeper. It makes a difference who we’re turning something over to.
The same God that says to bring Him our burdens is the same God who rose up the mountains and laid out the oceans. He’s the same God that parted the Red Sea and opened a sealed tomb.
God is big! He can handle our burdens. When we know who can calm our hearts, our hearts become calm.

“It is I who made the earth, and created man upon it. I stretched out the heavens with My hands And I ordained all their host.” Isaiah 45:12

 

Hints of storms come. Often. Mine. Yours.  It was on my heart this week to encourage you to drop your burden if you’re facing one…to lay it down and to walk away. Don’t go back to grab it. Please don’t! Don’t let the details of the storm consume you but let the strength of a Savior lift you.

I get it—I know—It’s the hardest thing to do. I’m there with you. It’s that gravitational pull we can’t understand.
Yet, I want to remind you we follow a God that says to do it. We follow a God that says the burdens may not leave, but the strength will arrive. We follow a God that says leave it there and He will do the rest.

6 Replies

  1. Jackie

    These were words of comfort after hearing the sad news of my husband’s Dad dying last night and the heartache such a loss brings to all the family as we remember him and the good times we shared with Papa Doug. Thanks and bless you.

    1. Oh Jackie I’m sorry to hear. We will keep all of your family in prayer during this time. I am glad these words came at the right time for you. Thank you for sharing. Blessings

  2. Lori perez

    Thank you Renae so much for writing about this this week. I do have a burden to lay down to Him and it is hard because I want to make it right right now. I ask for prayer for this that I will give it all to Him and wait for His answer not mine.

    1. Lori, We will pray with you and for you! Thanks for letting us. Leaving burdens is a tough thing to do in our faith, isn’t it? But I think if we work on those biblical truths we can get better at it. Blessings.

      1. Lori perez

        I it is very hard. I truly believe that the hard part is not knowing what He has planned for us. We know what we want but it may not be what He wants. Thank you for your prayers.

        1. Yes Lori, that’s a huge part of it, isn’t it? I agree. At times I want to know, but the past has proven sometimes that I’m glad I didn’t. Hang in there girl, practice makes progress to let it go when we should.

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