Written by Pastor Jack Wellman– E.M. Bounds
Lightens the Load
Jesus once told the crowds, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28), and simply “take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:29-30). We are not well equipped to carry around such heavy loads, which is why Jesus tells us all to come and unload it all on Him and then take His yoke upon us because it’s easier and lighter. For us? Not so much.
Turn It Over
When we repent we turn away from our old life, turn to Christ, and place our faith in Him. In the same way, we can pray to God and turn all of our troubles over to Him. By giving it up to God, we are giving up the effort of trying to solve the unsolvable by ourselves. If God could create the universe, what is so hard for Him to do? By our own human effort, nothing’s possible; but with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).
Put in the Right Hands
If you’ve prayed to God and placed all your trials and tribulations in His sovereign hands, you can now rest knowing that they’re in no better hands in the universe. God is able to do what we can’t, of course, since He’s God; but sometimes He does things that we don’t even see or know about. We just have to trust Him like the farmer who’s planted a seed in the ground–even though he can’t see it, he knows it’s growing. The point is, pray about it and then trust in the God Who says everything that happens will work out for our very best (Romans 8:28), even the evil things (Genesis 50:20).
Conclusion
When we put our concerns in the hands of God by prayer, we lighten our load because we’re turning them over to the Omnipotent (all-powerful) God, for Whom nothing is hard or impossible. When you’ve placed it all in the hands of God by prayer, then you can rest in the knowledge that God can do with it what will most glorify Him and do for us the ultimate best.
