Cast On, Don’t Carry

Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you. – Psalm 55:22

In his lifetime, King David faced some truly difficult circumstances. And yet, through it all, he knew that as long as he placed his trust in God, everything would eventually work out. The psalms are full of David’s writings about experiencing fear but still trusting in God.

David wrote Psalm 55 while facing a rebellion or power struggle over David’s leadership of Israel. To make matters worse, one of the key leaders in the struggle was someone that David had previously trusted. As a result of this, the city was actually a dangerous place for David to be in. But rather than give up or let his fears get the better of him, David chose to reach out to God.

While a friend’s betrayal and an extreme challenge to authority are indeed heavy burdens to bear, David knew that he could and should rely on God to bear it. Rather than carry the heavy weight of his struggle on his own, which would have led to his undoing, David knew he needed to cast it onto God. This didn’t remove David from the difficult situation, but it helped to sustain him through it. And in the end, David was made into a stronger, more perfect servant of God.

In a world filled with frightening things, do you trust that you can give God whatever is weighing you down? Talk to Him about this today. Let go of your burden and trust that God will be there to help you endure whatever comes. As you pray, consider the leaders of the U.S. as they, too, face great burdens in their life and work.