August 25

“Many Christians love God’s will in the abstract but carry great burdens in connection with it.  From this there is deliverance in the wonderful life of faith, for in this life no burdens are carried, no anxieties felt.  The Lord is our Burden-bearer, and on Him we must lay every care.”  Hannah Whitall Smith, God is Enough, 8/25

We must lay every care.....for me this means I must even lay the burden of my continual attempt to lay my burdens at Jesus’ feet!  This may sound strange to some of you, but for me it is a real burden.  You’d think it would just be a matter of setting something down--but this is a burden in itself if it does not come easily.  I guess that is the burden of an overly responsible person.  Just when I think I’ve given everything over to the Lord the responsible side of me begins to question my decision with very logical statements.  The last thing a responsible person wants to be is irresponsible and how can I be sure that’s not what I’m being if I give the responsibility to someone else!  I see now how I’ve been fighting God all along.  But now He’s grabbed both my hands, crossing my arms upon my chest, and has spun me around to look fully into His wonderful face, as He hugs me close to Him.

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