Daily Devotionals for Women - Today's Encouraging Word from Scripture

CASTING MY BURDENS
By: Christine Wyrtzen

Cast your burdens upon the Lord and He shall sustain thee. Psalm 55:22

These are days filled with anxiety. The world feels as fragile as an egg shell. So do some elements of my life, some people that I love. As one who endeavors to carry everything and everyone to Jesus in prayer, I needed new insight this morning about casting my cares upon Jesus. "Why are these burdens heavy? And how can I better understand how to cast them upon You in a way that brings greater relief?"

These were my questions earlier this morning as I poured out my heart to the Lord. Some burdens are heavier than others but sometimes, the weight of a single one could threaten to drown me. Other times, it's the accumulation of them that weighs me down. Like Job, who sustained a series of losses and over a long period of time, the dailyness of them is wearing. Add to that, there are seasons when God seems to hide His face. Over the long haul, this builds my faith but there are moments when that fragile eggshell describes me. I'm poised on the line between faith and hopelessness. The temptations of Satan intensify during fragile times. He is like a stalker, waiting to see when God's child is at his most tender place. Then, he brings whispers of doubt and insinuations that my trust in God is misplaced. This makes for a tenuous situation spiritually.

My Christ promises to sustain me as I gather all my burdens and empty my heart of its grief. The promise to sustain does not mean that I will not be shaken nor momentarily stagger. It means that I will not fall. No pit of destruction or despair will ever be visited by me if I stick close to Jesus and continue to cast my burdens upon him.

What is it that threatens you today? Loss of your home, your retirement, your child's faith, your spouse's mental stability, your marriage, your trust in yourself? Take each one in prayer, picture putting it in your hands and casting it toward the cross of Christ. He bore all our sorrows.

Christ became our peace when He died in our place. He forever fixed the breech between His Father and us. No longer do we need to groan under the heavy burdens of life and find no one to listen, to help, to deliver. Jesus promises to guard our hearts with His peace. (Philippians 4:7) When our heart would fracture and crack into a thousand pieces because of the stress, God's Word and His peace will hold it together. He has His hands cupped around it and nothing may shake it loose from His grip.

You see my list this morning. It has robbed me of sleep but your invitation to come anytime and cast my cares upon You rings in my ears. You will be my rock for yet another day. Amen.

For more from Christine Wyrtzen and Jaime Wyrtzen Lauze, please visit www.daughtersofpromise.org