If you’ve ever felt worn down by your troubles and wallowed in anguish, having to cope with life’s searing torment can be debilitating.
Thus, you can’t help but wonder how surrendering your burdens to God can bring peace amid immense hardships.
In the Scripture, Jesus exhorted those who were weighed down by life’s crushing adversity to cast their burdens on Him. Such an invitation from the Lord Himself should serve as an assurance that He will carry us through the hard season, even amidst life’s menacing trials— experiencing His peace even when life’s pressures engulf us.
Casting All Your Worries on God
To lay your burdens before God means letting go of all your fears and worries— with absolute faith and confidence that He will sustain you amidst life’s relentless struggles. Therefore, if our faith is weak and our relationship with God is strained, it will be difficult for us to trust Him.
Only when we are deeply rooted in the trust of God’s promises can we experience the supernatural peace of His presence.
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 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 11:28-30
God will never forsake you, and His peace will remain with you no matter how difficult your circumstances may be.
Ways to Lay Your Burdens Down
Here are some steps we can take in order to experience God’s peace despite life’s crushing blows.
1. Deepen Your Faith And Bond With God
Strengthening our faith and establishing our connection with God is crucial to establishing confidence in our readiness to surrender all our troubles to Him.
And one of the ways to strengthen our faith in Him is by understanding how God has delivered other believers from their struggles despite all odds.
Such realization will give us a sense of unwavering certainty that He will accomplish the same for us in our current circumstances.
2. Through Prayer And Supplication
As you crumble under the weight of all your trials and feel the pangs of despair, remember who you are in Christ. You are a beloved child of God.
Is there anything God would not do for you after He had laid down His life so you could live?
While in the throes of life’s unrelenting struggles, we can call out to God in all humility and pour our hearts before Him.
For it is written:
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18
“When They cry out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.” Exodus 22:27
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.” Isaiah 61:1
Many passages in the Bible reveal how Jesus was moved with compassion for the lost and the brokenhearted, “When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” Luke 7:13
“But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.” Matthew 9:36
3. Lay Down Your Burdens Before Him by Singing Songs of Praise
Should we only worship God when things are going well for us? Worshiping God amid your unbearable grief and anguish speaks volumes of your steadfast love and faith in Him.
To pour out your most heartfelt praise to God even as you howl in agony will inch you closer to experiencing your most profound victory. You are sure to witness His mighty Hand move amidst your suffering.
For it is written in Philippians 4:6-7
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”.
However, there are times when God doesn’t immediately remove the thorns that weigh us down.
We may still need to wait for Him to intercede in our bleak circumstances, change our lives’ narratives, and restore our joy. It is during this long and painful waiting season, when we feel at our most vulnerable, that we must cling to Christ with all of our strength.
We are going through life’s struggles for a reason. Let us continue to trust Him, knowing that our God is a faithful God who keeps His promises to those who patiently wait for Him.
As it is written in Romans 8:28
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.”
4. Lay Down Your Burden Before the Lord by Seeking Solace in His words
Reflecting and meditating on the scriptures each day will arm you with the strength you need to press forward—for God’s words are the very life of our souls, nourishing and sustaining our Spirit if we heed them wholeheartedly.
And by having God’s words engraved deep in our hearts, we can remain at peace despite the unrelenting upheavals and turmoil of life.
The Lord uses trials and suffering to purify the intentions of our hearts, solidify our faith, and teach us to cleave to Him when things get tough.
But should the tide of despair engulf you, turn to God for comfort and you will find peace for your soul.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
The fiery trials of life can do two things for a Christian: They can either bolster his relationship with God or decimate his faith to the point of doubting His existence.
Should our faith falter, it can wreak havoc on our spiritual life if our indifference towards God persists for too long. Potentially severing our ties to Him, leading us down the path of destruction, and plunging us into the depths of despair.
But knowing that we are dust, that we are without hope apart from Him, God, in His mercy, sent His Son so that through Christ’s salvation, we can be reconciled to Him and be made one with Him.
It is this inextricable bond we have with the Father that will sustain us despite life’s trials, enabling us to remain steadfast through any hardships.
“As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear Him. For He knows how they were made; He remembers that we are dust.” Psalms 103:13-14