Surrender your burdens to God
“God heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” (Psalm 147:3)
Company was coming for dinner unexpectedly. So the girls and I raced to the grocery store to pick up some last minute ingredients. At the store, I didn’t get a carriage, as my daughters and I decided to carry the last minute items. In the produce department, I grabbed a 10-pound bag of potatoes and handed them to my youngest daughter. Then, I selected some other vegetables and a tray of cutup mixed fruit. Next, we went to the baking aisle and my middle girl selected a brownie mix. And in the dairy aisle, I reached for yogurt, milk and eggs.
In the meantime, as we walked up and down each aisle with our arms full of groceries, my youngest girl paused for a moment and said, “Mom, this bag of potatoes is getting heavy.” She sighed.
For a few minutes, it wasn’t that tough for my daughter to carry the potatoes. Yet, after holding that 10-pound bag in her arms for 15 minutes, her arm began to get weak. Accordingly, if you held the heavy bag of potatoes nonstop for an entire day, you may really be hurting. The longer you hold it, the heavier it becomes.
What are you holding onto in your life? As with the bag of potatoes, if we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the load becomes increasingly heavy, it’s too difficult to hold. Then, we may become worn out from carrying that excess baggage.
At one time, perhaps, you were excited about your life and looked forward to your future. You could try to smile, but within, sadness and anxious cares overwhelmed you. You could have lost your passion for living and be so discouraged from all you had to handle that you sometimes think, “I’m fighting a losing battle.” For, over time, the emotional upheaval and heaviness of it all can steal your joy, creativity, sense of value and well-being.
Could it be that you are carrying things that God did not intend you to bear?
Wouldn’t it be nice to lose some of those burdens?
Today, let’s release the weight of it all. You are not alone in handling your dilemma. God is with you. A while back, in the news, there was a story about a bus driver. His bus broke down along the roadside. As he was trying to repair the bus, three armed robbers approached him. There was a struggle, and the bus driver was shot three times; once in the leg, and two in his chest.
However, in the bus driver’s front shirt pocket was his Bible. The pair of bullets lodged themselves into his copy of the Bible and miraculously, his life was saved. Later, the police sergeant told reporters, “There was obviously some kind of intervention involved…”
So, let peace rule in your heart. Don’t give up or give in to desperation. Continue praying for God’s hand to move in your behalf. Rest confidently, knowing that God is taking care of you, protecting you and will intercede and bring about deliverance. Let go of the scars of yesterday and be on the lookout for the great joys and blessings that lie ahead. Praise God for His delivering power. At the other side of the challenge, is a new level of blessings.
Last week, I stopped at a pizza restaurant in town. There was a sign on the door that said, “Under New Management.” That’s what we need to proclaim: “I’m Under New Management…. I’m transferring control of my burdens and life into God’s care,” and “My mind, body, spirit; my family, finances, and my very life, is under new management: God’s control.”
Get a new perspective of what you’re facing. That setback, that disappointment, that unfair situation didn’t change who you are or stop God’s magnificent purpose for your future. It is not the end. It is a new beginning. This is your year; today is your day to be set free.
I am reminded of a letter I received from a young man. He wrote to say he had been struggling with a dependency on drugs. Although he enjoyed a great upbringing, wrong associations contributed to his addictions. First, it was drinking, then drugs and pills. Soon, his life was falling apart, and he did not know where to turn.
Thankfully, the man began rehabilitation, and he explained how the Lord filled his life with hopes and aspirations. He surrendered his burdens to God. “I let go and let God,” he wrote. The man listened to the inner promptings of his heart, was pulled out of that bondage and was saved by God’s grace. “Even when I felt like giving up,” he described, “God did not give up on me.” Today, this young man is free from his addictions, and he’s a counselor helping others who are going through similar situations.
Remain bound and determined to not let anything keep you from God’s best. And so, trust Him even though things don’t make complete sense to you at the moment. God has a plan for you and is working a miracle in the midst of your biggest challenge. Remember, you were chosen by God and He has special plans for you. Follow the desires of your heart, stand upright and continue being a person of excellence. You are blessed with divine abilities and gifted with extraordinary talents. Go higher, reach further. Believe again. It’s not too late.
Reader, Bruce Palmer, owner of Palmer’s Jewelers in East Haven recalled, “When I was a child, before bedtime my mother would always come into our rooms and say, ‘Jesus loves you and so do I.’”
That’s what God is saying to you today: “I love you.”
Thus, leave any problems totally with Him and allow God to work in your life. Relax and allow Him to prepare you for the future blessings He has for you. In the meantime, affirm and confirm His help, grace, and guidance in solving your problems, even before they are given.
God will never let you down. Watch and see what God is about to do. Healing is on the way. Abundance is on the way. Victory is on the way. God is going to bless you, strengthen you and “increase you a thousand times,” (Deuteronomy 1:11) beyond your expectations.
So, my dear readers have faith in a loving God. Be at peace knowing He will take all your burdens and carry them for you. Be prepared to enjoy all your future blessings. God loves you and so do I.
Catherine Galasso-Vigorito’s nationally syndicated weekly column, “A New You,” has endeared her to readers across the country for over 15 years. In addition, Catherine is featured on television and radio where she inspires viewers and listeners by offering inspirational commentary, home decorating and entertaining ideas, plus DIY segments. She is the bestselling author of three books: A New You, God Will Do the Rest, and The Open Window. As a designer, her gift lines have been featured on QVC and she is a former Miss Connecticut USA.