A Prayer for the Burden You Shoulder Today
By Megan Evans
"Blessed be the Lord!
Day after day he bears our burdens;
God is our salvation. Selah" - Psalm 68:19 (CSB)
Our shoulders were never meant to balance the weight of the world around us, but we certainly try sometimes, don’t we? Is there a heavy burden weighing upon your heart and mind today? It is tiring to bear this daily load and responsibility, and the need for hope and relief grows greater by the day. We need the peace and rest Jesus extends to us. Let’s find refuge and fresh new strength in the Word of God today as we pray over these cares together.
Perhaps you are burdened with the care of a loved one or facing hard decisions this week. Maybe you have a deadline approaching, or you worry about the future. You might even be walking around with the weight of yesterday, chained to regret or past hurt. Jesus offers hope for all today. Lord, You see what my heart is carrying right now. Guide me in Your wisdom so that I can honor You in all that I do.
Psalm 68 reminds us that we have a good God. That is our daily starting place, even when life doesn’t seem fair or circumstances are hard to understand. Clinging to God’s character helps us view our situation through a lens of hope. When our heart, mind, body, and spirit are running on overdrive, it can be hard to remember who is in charge. Our good and great God is for us, not against us, and we can always trust His lead. Teach me to praise your name no matter what, Jesus. Teach my heart to always sing, “blessed be the Lord!”
Day after day, God promises to carry us and bear our burdens. This psalm proclaims that He alone is our salvation. Do we seek Him first? In today’s world, our fingers are tempted to search the internet before folding in prayer. It is a battle that we will continue to face as we live in this age of technology and information, but we don’t have to settle for the finite ways of the world. The Lord invites us to go to Him first. Jesus says in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Additionally, in Matthew 11:28-30 our Savior calls to us, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” This is our daily invitation to bring our burdens to Jesus. Not only will God meet our needs, but at his feet, we will find daily rest and wisdom. Lord, I can’t bear this earthly burden by myself. Today, I take off all worry and emotion and instead yoke myself to You, Jesus. I welcome Your rest, and I am ready to learn from You.
It can be hard to let go of our burdens, but God’s Word reminds us that surrendering these to the Lord is not an empty release. Our cares don’t just fall into a forgotten abyss if we dare loosen our grip or cease to maintain a vigil of worry. Quite the opposite! God is our salvation, our answer, and our rest for all heaviness. We can trust Him and stop trying to figure out every solution on our own. Daily, He will strengthen us with fresh new mercies. He will fill us with His wisdom, peace, and joy for the tasks at hand and will prepare us for tomorrow.
When we hand over our worries to Jesus, our shoulders become unladen. Rest in His salvation. Entrust and release all that is weighing on your heart and mind into His care today.
Let’s pray now for the burdens we carry:
Father God, this burden I shoulder today is heavy, and in obedience to Your Word, I slip it off and lay it at Your feet today. Yoked to Jesus, I am ready to learn Your ways. Keep me teachable. Help me navigate each task and responsibility in Your perfect timing and with Your strength and wisdom. Fill me with Your peace today. As needs arise, remind me to seek You first, God, trusting Your perfect provision. Lastly, remind me to praise You always so that the first and last words of my day, regardless of circumstance, may be, “Blessed be the Lord!” In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Made Suta / EyeEm
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Originally published Friday, 11 November 2022.
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