How to Handle Burdens
Bible Reading: Matthew 11:28-30. Aim: To show nine steps to handle burdens.
Introduction: We all have burdens to bear in life.
We have burdens due to:
a) Other people causing us trouble;
b) Burdens of our loved ones;
c) The difficult nature of living in this world;
d) Mistakes that we sometimes make.
The question we must answer is that, when we have burdens, how do we handle them?
1. Bring the burden to the Lord Jesus. ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’ (Matthew 11:28). To ‘come’ means to:
a) Receive Christ as Saviour;
b) Fellowship daily with Christ;
c) Tell Christ about the burden and ask Him to deliver you and teach you key lessons from it.
2. Cast all your care upon him. ‘Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you’ (I Peter 5:7; Psalms 55:22). This is what we are to do: Tell God ‘Here, You take the burden. I now cast this problem on You for You to work it out.’ Commit your whole cause to Him.
If we suffer heavy trials; lose friends, health or property; if we feel we are in danger of being crushed, we may go and cast all upon the Lord. We may look to Him for grace and strength and feel assured that He will enable us to bear with ease what we thought we could never have done; and the burden will appear light to us. ‘For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matthew 11:30).
3. Do what God says to do while carrying the burden. In II Kings 5:1, Naaman came to the prophet of God, Elisha, for healing of leprosy. He was told to dip seven times in the Jordan river to be healed. Sometimes God wants us to do some things during our trials. Find them and do them.
4. Wait for the outcome. Answers may come later. ‘I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope’ (Psalm 130:5). ‘Let patience have her perfect work…’ (James 1:4).
5. Learn of Christ (Matthew 11:29). Question: During this time of burden, what does Christ want me to learn from this? What can I study in the Bible at this time?
6. Tell others when God gives you relief from the burden. Praise God for the victory when it comes. ‘Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee’ (Luke 8:26-39).
7. Take my yoke upon you. (Matthew 11:29) - means: a) Get busy serving God; b) Obey Christ and embrace His ways; c) Let Christ restrain your bad passions and inclinations.
Christ’s laws and requirements are MILD compared to the bondage and restraints of sin. So much so that we feel that Christ’s ways are like freedom.
8. If a burden came from sin, confess it to God, then ‘Go, and sin no more’ (John 8:11).
9. If the burden doesn’t go quickly, learn the lesson that God’s grace is sufficient to carry us through the trouble day by day. (II Corinthians 12:9).
