Who Shares Your Burdens

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. Psalms 55:22.

I looked at my lunch sack, my regular school bag, and the four bags of school supplies I had purchased the day before. How could I carry them all to school at the same time? Which one to leave? Which had priority? They all did, I assured myself. Why not leave some bags in the car and make a second trip? Too much trouble, I reasoned. I was determined to totter the two city blocks to the entrance of the school with my six packages.

Before I had gone 20 steps, I felt shooting pains in my abdominal region. That’s when I realized that my hands were not alone in carrying my burden—internal organs were hurting as well. After one block I put everything down. I considered leaving the low priority items—two hefty reams of paper—near a tree and return for them later. Then I stubbornly decided against the idea.

Then I heard footsteps behind me, and, glancing over my shoulder, I saw a tall young man with a tall backpack. Although I didn’t recognize him, I immediately asked, “Would you like to help your teacher?” Without hesitating, he grabbed the heaviest of my bags. What a relief!

Thanks so much,” I whispered.

As we walked toward the school I told him how happy I was that he had arrived at the right time to assist me. Silently, I wondered, Why did he appear out of nowhere at the moment when I felt that I couldn’t take another step? As the young man placed my bags at the door of the school, I told him, “God sent you to help me today; do you know that?”

As I divided the bags, preparing for two trips to my third floor classroom, the importance of the incident began to sink in. I thought of the heavy burdens I had been carrying all week. Stubbornly, I had been struggling with them, praying about them, but not handing them entirely over to God. Now I thanked my heavenly Father for presenting an object lesson to me so vividly. Our God is just waiting for us to lay down our burdens so that He can carry them for us.

Today, place your burdens—large and small—at His feet. Then walk beside Him, knowing that your burden is now light.

—Annette Walwyn Michael

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