My Burden Bearer

In the Old Testament, there was an animal called the scapegoat. This is recorded in Leviticus chapter 16. Aaron the priest would lay his hands on the head of this goat and confess the iniquities, transgressions, and sins of the people of Israel. Then the goat was let go in the wilderness. This goat was bearing the iniquities of the people.

God bears not only our sins (when He died on the cross), but He also bears our burdens. In Matthew 11:28-29, Jesus said, "Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." God wants us to rest in Him. We can rest in knowing that He is faithful to the promises in His Word.

Psalm 55:22 says, "Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never permit the righteous to be moved." 1 Peter 5:7 reads, "Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you." God wants His children to know that He cares about everything they are going through. He does not leave His children to walk through their trials alone; He is there every step of the way. We can share our troubles with God through prayer.

He helps us navigate difficult times and difficult decisions if we just trust Him with our burdens. Many times, people pray and talk to God about their burdens at the altar. When they finish praying, they pick their burdens back up and walk out the church doors with them. God wants us to release our burdens to Him. If someone offered to carry a heavy box for you, wouldn't you let them do it? Shouldn't we allow God to help us carry things that we cannot handle on our own?

I have been guilty of trying to fix things myself before. Usually, I didn't get the result that I was hoping for. As I mature and grow in Christ, I realize that letting God take control is always the best course of action. After all, if He created the whole universe, I'm sure He can handle my small problems.

One day, I was carrying a bag of trash out to the trashcan by the road. It was on the heavy side. It was like a heavy burden. As I threw it into the trashcan, I asked God to help me release some of my burdens. Just as I had thrown that trash into the trashcan, never to be carried by me again, I could put my burdens in the arms of my Savior and not have to carry them as heavily as I had before.

Whatever is troubling you today, place it in God's hands. He is far more capable than we are to make everything work out for the good (Romans 8:28).