Steps to Take When Your Burdens Are Too Much to Carry

My calm and peaceful life came to an abrupt halt when our business went through a massive shift earlier this year. The demands came rushing at me at the speed of a freight train. Having to hire new team members when others left without notice and expanding our operations all at the same time left me angry, overwhelmed, and exhausted. I had a massive clean-up on Aisle 4.

Working 12-14-hour days, I was drowning in to-do lists, and the last thing on my mind was trusting God. Instead, I was trusting in myself and grumbling and complaining every step of the way, which only fed my flesh in the process.

If I had to rate how I’ve dealt with my most recent trial as a Christ-follower, I’d give myself the following grades:

• Trusting God: F
• Kind and Patient: F
• Overwhelmed, Anxious, and Angry: A+

I thought I could carry the load and manage all the responsibilities that came my way, but as I examined my heart, a patient spirit was nowhere to be found. I was not handling this trial well at all. I allowed these unfavorable circumstances to have a negative impact on my conduct–conduct the Holy Spirit convicted me of. Unfortunately, I was allowing this trial to change me, and not for the better.

Reflecting back, I could see I wasn’t trusting God or relying on Him. I was relying on myself and growing a bitter heart in the process.

Maybe you can relate? Perhaps you’re stuck in unfavorable circumstances, or you’re trying to fix your problems on your own?

This broken life comes with a suitcase full of worries, concerns, and anxieties. Be it fear of the unknown, financial concerns, health problems, job issues, broken or difficult relationships, etc.

 

Steps to Take When Your Burdens Are Too Much to Carry

God’s Word offers guidance on how to address the issues that weigh on our hearts and the troubling thoughts that keep us awake at night. Our responsibilities lie in doing what His Word says.

Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never allow the righteous to be shaken. (Psalm 55:22 CSB)

The Hebrew word for “cast” is shâlak (pronounced shaw-lak). Shâlak means to throw, cast, hurl, fling.

In other words, hurl your horrible, troubling, and overwhelming concerns over to the Lord for Him to handle!

Below are a few ways the Lord has taught me how to entrust my burdens to Him. Hopefully, what I’ve learned will help save you some grief and, in turn, your sanity.

1. Recognize your limitations.

Although we have the power of the Holy Spirit within us to do the impossible, are we allowing God to receive the glory in our trials?

My pride tells me I can do it all until I become an overwhelmed and angry lunatic — which are clear indicators that I am relying on my own strength. What makes us think we were born wearing capes? And how, if I am capable of doing it all, does God get the glory? He doesn’t because I stole it from Him. The last thing I want to do is steal God’s glory!

2. Release your burdens to the Lord.

Instead of trying to do more or fix the situation, release control instead. (Yes, it will require great faith in God to do this.)

Peace is found in the release.

Cease striving and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10 (NASB)

Where in your life is God asking you to release control?

3. Rely on His strength and care.

Here is where my pride, my fear, and my sense of responsibility need to be challenged.

Do I really believe the Word of God when it says if I give (release) my burdens to the Lord, He’ll sustain (take care of) me?

When I struggle to rely on His strength and care, it’s often a result of my arrogance or unbelief, because I’m essentially saying I don’t believe God will have my back; therefore, I must do it all, or else things will turn out to be a colossal failure.

Rather than trying to handle your problems in your own strength, seek to transfer (let go) all your concerns to Him. Not easy, but constantly dwelling, mediating, and speaking truth to your problems, ie, memorizing and repeating God’s word (Psalm 55:22) will help your mind to combat Satan’s lies. Learn to park your brain on Truth and watch how your burdens ease.

Just a side note: Putting our anxious thoughts on repeat is the opposite of giving our burdens to the Lord. Do the opposite. Dwell on Truth.

Do you feel God is capable and reliable to handle your problems?

4. Re-evaluate your commitments and responsibilities.

Are there things in your life you can say no to? Do you have unrealistic expectations or standards that are too high to maintain?

If we take on responsibilities we were never intended to, murmuring and complaining will start to spill from our hearts. These attitudes will fuel our anxious thoughts, leading us down a road of resentment and discontent — a road devoid of peace and joy.

In what areas of your life is the Holy Spirit prompting you to make a change, to release?

5. Rest in His plan.

• God knows what’s best for us, and He has a plan for our lives.

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT)

• He is also working all things together for our good, even if you can’t see it.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28 (NLT)

• He knows what refinement (trials) we need to go through to make us more like Him–as painful as it is!

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. Romans 5:3-4 (NLT)

So friend, the challenge with the Psalm 55:22 verse is, are you willing to trust God with your situation? I do hope so!

Live a poured-out life for Christ,

Jolene Engle