How do we give our burdens to the Lord? Really how do we? I’ve heard that phrase so many times in my life but I never completely understood it. Every time I heard a friend express their story, the details may have been different but the scenario was about the same. She was facing a trial that felt to heavy to bare and so she finally decided to “give {her} burden to the Lord.”
Is it really that simple? “Hey, Lord this is much to much to handle so I think I’ll hand it over to you now.” And then, poof, does the burden disappear? There have been times in my life when I’ve let the Lord know I was done. I got on my knees and begged, “please, take this from me.” When I got back up I didn’t feel much different.
Did I not have faith? Was I missing something? Was it a process I had to be patient with? Maybe I just didn’t know how to give up my burden. Perhaps I didn’t really want to give it up because we know how useful worry is and all.
Do we give our burden’s to the Lord all the time without even realizing it? Perhaps He has mercy and just takes it without our asking. There is a never ending list of things we could possibly fear and anguish about. I think if we’ve ever felt peace in this life it is because we let God take over. I wrote a little about how we can let the Lord heal us here. But I think there is something more to learn.
When we fret about things that are out of our control it is like waking up every morning and going outside to move a huge boulder. We exert all our energy pushing with our might to move that boulder as if it will actually work. At the end of the day our only result is feeling exhausted, frustrated, and hopeless. Still, the next morning we get up and do the same thing.
Why are we doing a job that isn’t ours to do? Why are we pushing on that boulder when we could reach out to someone with the right machine who could move that boulder like it is a pebble?
Is there something you are putting your mental and emotional energy into as if you can actually fix it on your own? Wondering why it isn’t working? Maybe it is time to leave it to the Lord.
How to give your burden to the Lord
I’m not the expert in giving away burdens, but the other day I was reminded of a time I actually did give my burden to the Lord and exactly how I did it. I want to share it with you because I have a feeling that a lot of us might be carrying a load right now that is getting kinda heavy.
I was very young, but old enough to know when my parents were worried. My dad was the sole provider for our family; self-employed as an electrician. He was drilling through metal one day when the drill slipped and went straight through the hand he was using to support himself. It was an injury that prevented him for working for quite some time.
I overheard my parents talking about finances in pained voices. We had a family meeting where we were told we didn’t have money for anything but the bare minimum. If we weren’t careful we could loose the house.
“Loose the house.” Those words haunted me.
Though my dad recovered this wasn’t the last time I would hear similar words spoken. My parents had 5 children and adopted 8 more. Money was always tight with only one income. Even after my mom started working we never had extra.
I remember standing at the checkout with my mom to buy a new outfit for school. I said a little prayer and tried to smile a nervous smile as credit card after credit card was declined. There were also times we had to get food from our church’s store house.
I started to carry a worry and fear that went beyond just loosing our home; I was worried about ever having to own a home myself. If I was to become an adult I would have to earn money and buy a home. Then I would always have to worry that I might loose that home. Solution? I decided I never wanted to become an adult. Makes complete sense, right?
When I realized there was no way to stop growing up I started to quiz my mom. Do you HAVE to buy a house when you grow up? Maybe I could live in a house that wasn’t mine to loose? I would just rent for my whole life. Seemed like a good plan to a little girl who understood nothing about finances.
Really it wasn’t that I didn’t want to grow up and own a home. It was that I didn’t want to carry this distress with me for the rest of my life. Here I was 11 years old agonizing over something that was completely out of my control. It did absolutely no good to wonder and guess, but I didn’t know how to let it go. Sound familiar?
I kept my worries to myself because even though I didn’t know much about buying a house, I did know people would probably think it was weird that a little girl was already having anxiety over loosing her house that she may or may not buy when she got older.
You can guess who already knew about this burden though. I couldn’t hide it from God. I prayed plenty that we wouldn’t loose our home, but I never thought to ask Him to help me with the thoughts that were crushing me.
The burden lifted.
When I was 14 1/2 years old I started to prepare to receive my patriarchal blessing. A special and sacred blessing I would only receive once in my life that would give guidance, comfort, and counsel for my life. I was excited and nervous not knowing exactly what to expect.
As the patriarch placed his hands on my head I listened to many beautiful words. Then something was spoken that caught my breath.
“I bless you now in the payment of your tithes and offerings that you shall have more blessings poured upon you than you can receive. You shall never want for food or raiment.”
In that moment I knew the Lord knew me. He cared about something that others would have thought silly and He gave me comfort and a promise. Do you know what? From that day forward I never spent one more second worrying about my every need being provided for. I gave my burden to the Lord.
I trusted fully in His promise to me. One simple promise. I knew He would keep it. Didn’t know how and I didn’t care. I just knew it would be. That is how I was able to give something I was never intended to carry right back to someone who could.
What burden will you give back?
Is there something you are carrying that is not yours to carry? Are you trying to move a boulder?
You can believe that you can’t carry a burden anymore. You can believe in God’s power to take that burden. But what you really need to believe in is His promises.
Is there a promise the Lord has made to you that you have forgotten? We hear His promises everywhere. In blessings, in the scriptures, in general conference, in the temple. What promise do you need to believe in right now to let go of needless fear and worry? Reach out to God, move over, and let Him do His work.
If that isn’t enough here’s a promise that the Lord will keep his promises:
Verily I say unto you my friends, fear not, let your hearts be comforted; yea, rejoice evermore, and in everything give thanks;
Waiting patiently on the Lord, for your prayers have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, and are recorded with this seal and testament—the Lord hath sworn and decreed that they shall be granted.
Therefore, he giveth this promise unto you, with an immutable covenant that they shall be fulfilled; and all things wherewith you have been afflicted shall work together for your good, and to my name’s glory, saith the Lord.
D&C 98:1-3
Trust in His promises. Trust that not only can God take your burden but He will do what is best with it. Trust that He understands and has the complete picture.
