Psalm 55:22 (ESV) -- Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.

People carry burdens. I’ve pastored for many years and it is a consistent reality I encounter with people. They hurt. Folks carry struggles, afflictions, and fears with them every day. Most don’t know that people carry these things. We hide it well. We put smiling faces on and carry on as if everything is fine. But we do have burdens. What we need more than anything is not to cover up our burdens, but to have someone carry our burdens. 

Our passage today tells us where this help comes from. The psalmist writes, “Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.” The psalmist tells us to cast our burden on the LORD. To cast something means to put it forth or throw it; to lay it on the LORD. Laying our burden “on” the LORD implies removing it from ourselves. This is a direct command to not attempt bearing our emotional burdens and troubles ourselves. 

If we cast our burden on the LORD, the promise attached to the command is He will sustain us. He will never permit the righteous—His people—to be moved. What a promise? If we cast our burden on Him, He will sustain us. This is a promise of provision and help. To have the LORD sustain us means we will not wilt or fold under the weight of our struggles. Because He will lift and carry those burdens, we will be helped to carry on. 

These burdens we face can be relational, physical, emotional, or financial. Any number of things can become burdens for us. How do we cast them on the LORD? In prayer. We call out to Him and ask for His help. We lay our troubles before His feet and trust He will shoulder them. Go to Him today. Cry out for the burden-carrying LORD to lighten your load.

Reflection & Journal:
- What are some burdens that we carry as people? 
- How do we “cast” burdens onto the LORD?
- What promise does this passage give us if we cast our burdens on God?

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