IT'S NOT YOUR BURDEN TO CARRY

Thought for the Day: It’s not my burden to carry. It’s God’s.

Recently, I found myself worried and anxious about a situation one of my children found themselves in. I was so fretful that I experienced several days of despair and angst…and tears.

It was awful!

During my devotions one morning, though, it came to me. God’s voice. God’s counsel. Spoken in a still, small whisper into my hurting heart: It’s not your burden to carry.

It was a good (and timely) reminder of Exodus 14:14. “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

I hadn’t been still. I’d been quite active, actually: carrying the burden for this child, trying to make it all work out. I had taken charge and had gone to battle on their behalf…when I shouldn’t have.

It wasn’t (and still isn’t) my burden to carry, my battle to fight. It is God’s. It always was God’s. But I, unfortunately, got in the way.

I stepped aside after God’s gently admonishment that morning and became still. I stopped fretting, stopped worrying. Stopped fighting and carrying.

God stepped in then. He shouldered the burden; He went to battle for this child.

And, then, victory came. His victory.

Victory for me, in restoring my peace, in comforting me and reassuring me that He was in control of the situation. I need only to sit quietly and “spectate” (and pray) from the sidelines.

Victory for this child, as their situation was slowly worked out over the next couple of weeks.

Victory for God, the Victor, who gets all the glory for fighting our battles and those of our loved ones.

What “burden” are you carrying today, whether it’s for yourself or a loved one? What battle are you fighting that you shouldn’t be? Let the Lord fight for you. You need only to be still, to “spectate” and pray from the sidelines. Then give Him the glory when the battle is won.

Be encouraged.