Casting Our Burdens to God

“You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” John 15:16

Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. Matthew 13:22

We were called to be fruitful. However, worries, cares and such choke the Word and hinder us from being fruitful. Jesus came so that we may be fruitful.

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”Matthew 11:28-30

There are many issues that hinder us from bearing fruits. When we accepted Christ, we came to Him Who says to come to Him if we’re weary and heavy laden, and when we accepted Him our sins were forgiven. However, when we came to Him we also came to Him with heavy burdens and issues that we need solved. Sometimes we try to sort out these issues on ourselves. Sometimes we pray about the issues, and continue carrying the issues and burdens. The issue is always a trust issue, that we don’t trust that God will do what He says. Sometimes we hide behind Scriptures, where we quote them pertaining to our needs, but in our hearts we don’t believe them. We need to believe with out hearts that God will work on our behalf.

Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.3 For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said:“So I swore in My wrath,‘They shall not enter My rest,’”although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. Hebrews 4:1-3

The Bible talks of the children of Israel, who had seen what God had done, but still didn’t believe Him. We’re also the same a times, in that we’ve seen God do much for us but still doubt Him. We should cast our cares to Him and have faith that He’ll take care of us.

Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved. Psalms 55:22

The devil’s scheme is that we don’t become fruitful, thus not be able to attract others to Christ, not being able to be influential in the society.

We have issues in our lives that bother us. We should cast them all to the Lord. The definition of “casting” is “throwing away”. When we've prayed about an issue, we shouldn't go on thinking about our issues. I'm not talking about being ignorant of the issues once we've prayed, but rather believing in God, waiting on Him and trusting in Him. When you start thinking about how to solve the problem, you are taking the seat of God in your problem. Once you cast our problem to God you should not be worried about it, knowing that God is taking care of you. Failure to trust in God will cause us to conform to the patterns of the world in trying to solve the problems, using the way of the world to solve the problems. God has His time and way of solving our problems, and we shouldn't use our own way.

Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. Isaiah 53:4

Jesus bore our griefs and carried our sorrows. It doesn't matter what we’re going through; we should cast all our griefs and sorrows to God.

Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation! Selah Psalm 68:19

God doesn’t work for us only for some time. Whenever we have an issue that’s disturbing us, we should remember that God is the One Who bears us up every day, to bear all our griefs and daily load us with benefits. This should make us turn to Him in trust.

Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." ⁶ Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, ⁷ casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. ⁸ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5:5-8

The first step to casting our burdens to God is to walk in humility. God will not help or bless us unless we humble ourselves. To “humble” ourselves means to “demote ourselves”, acknowledging that we are not strong, wise to deal with our issues. Unless you humble yourself and let God guide you, He’ll never guide you. We should humble ourselves so that God can use us. The opposite of humility is pride. When you don’t humble yourself it means you’re proud, thinking you can deal with the problems and issues on our own, take care of things on your own. In whatever you’re going through you’re supposed to humble yourself, as this is only when God will take care of you -- when you acknowledge that only God is able to help you.

To be exalted we have to first humble ourselves and acknowledge that God is mighty and is able to do it. The lives we’re living are like an exam; everything we’re going through has its answers in the Word of God. If we humble ourselves and learn from Jesus Who is humble and gentle, yoking ourselves with Him, we’ll be able to come through live life as God wants us to live it. When yoked with Christ, Who is stronger than us and is able to deal with all issues, as we abide in Him, reading His Word and so on, we’ll be able to solve all these issues in life.

Humbling yourself is the only way you’ll be able to cast all your anxiety to Him. When we humble ourselves He says that He may exalt us in due time. We have our timetables and deadlines. Sometimes we value the opinions of people and what they say, who all fail; when we trust God we’ll receive our answers at the right time. The timings of the world are not the timings of God and not ours. When we don’t cast our burdens to God we’ll be distracted. We’ve been called to bear fruits. You may have been saved for years, but the question is, do you bear fruits? Can people really say you are saved? The devil uses this tactic of getting us distracted through worries and cares so that we may not bear fruits. We’re the slaves of Jesus and are supposed to follow all He’s saying. Casting our cares to Him is a command, and when we don’t do this we’re disobeying Him.

“You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” John 15:16

The devil doesn't want us to reap all the promises of God, and so will always distract us with worries and create a disconnect with the Father, thus missing out on God.

And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD and wept in anguish. ¹¹ Then she made a vow and said, "O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head." ¹² And it happened, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli watched her mouth. ¹³ Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk. ¹⁴ So Eli said to her, "How long will you be drunk? Put your wine away from you!" ¹⁵ And Hannah answered and said, "No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD. ¹⁶ "Do not consider your maidservant a wicked woman, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief I have spoken until now." ¹⁷ Then Eli answered and said, "Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him." ¹⁸ And she said, "Let your maidservant find favor in your sight." So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad. 1 Samuel 1:10-18

Hannah had prayed for long, being mocked by Peninnah. Hannah couldn't even eat because of her issue of childlessness. When she prayed in the above text, she stopped mourning and relaxed, getting the peace of God and therefore going back to eating. She later got a child. She had been asking for a child all her life. Before, perhaps she had been asking God so that the mocking from her co-wife would stop. Finally she prayed out of the will of God, promising to dedicate her first child to God. The question to us remains why we want what we want so badly. Most of the time we pray so that we may fit in the society, so that people may stop talking, get status and so on, be prideful, boast to friends etc., which is why we don’t get what we are asking for. Are you asking according to the will of God, and for His glory? God knows all our intentions. When Hannah asked according to the will of God and for His glory, she was answered.

Sometimes we pray about issues, fast, cast our issues to God, and still nothing happens. Joseph suffered for long, not seeing his dream come to pass. You may have an issue disturbing you and have done all you know to do, and it’s not happening. He causes all things to work out for our good (Rom. 8:28). God has a plan for each one of us. When buildings are being put up they put the structure of the house (how it’ll be) by the side, and you even see people paying goodwill in advance, way before the building is complete. This house hasn't yet been completed, yet there’s a picture of how it will be. If a human being can come up with such a structure of a building, and the building ends up being exactly the same as that structure, what about God and the plan He has for our lives? His plan for us is perfect. How far are we from God’s plan? Have we led ourselves away from God’s plan and purpose for our lives? We have to resolve to come back to God’s plan for our lives, to that plan He had for us when He created us. Are you willing to be led and live life the way God intended it to be? You may have cast your burdens and cares through prayer and fasting and so on, but if it’s not the will of God it will not come to pass. All things work together for good to those who

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

Be anxious for nothing; take everything to God in prayer. If we don’t play your part, though God has finished His part, we’ll always live miserably. He says clearly that we shouldn’t be anxious for anything, but always make our requests to God. This is casting our cares to the Lord. If you take everything to God, unloading everything to God through prayer, then believing that God will accomplish His purpose, then the peace of God will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. We may be going through a lot on the outside but be enjoying the peace of God internally.

If the issue isn't going, remember still that God is working everything according to His will and purpose. David was living a very peaceful life before God’s call over his life came. When God comes calling and He anoints you, things will start happening. The devil will hate you very much. David used to live peacefully, but when he was anointed and called things started going haywire. Because God has a plan for you and your life, things will not always go the way we want them to go, but we should always remember that God is with us.

"Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing. ²⁶ "Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ²⁷ "Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? ²⁸ "So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; ²⁹ "and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰ "Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹ "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' ³² "For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³ "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Matthew 6:25-33

We’re not supposed to be anxious about anything, neither clothe nor food. When going through life’s issues always go back to the Word of God and what He has to say about your situations. God takes care of the birds, always making sure they’re fed, so what about us, who worship Him? If you can make yourself taller or make your hair grow by worrying, then go ahead and worry. Jesus said we come to Him and receive rest, yet many of us miss out on this rest, worrying. We should rest in Christ. When worried remind yourself that you are being of little faith. God already knows your needs. Be patient and wait on God, like David (Ps. 40). Be humble and wait on God. God can give you all these things you need, but they won’t come until you seek first His kingdom first.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.Proverbs 3:5-6

When worrying, being anxious and so on, you are not trusting the Lord with all your heart. The only time your plans will be established is when you trust Him, and acknowledge Him in all your ways.

For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶ Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:15-16

We should trust that Jesus is well aware of what we’re going through and is interceding for us. We shouldn't feel condemned because of what we’re going through, rather know that we have a Saviour Who is interceding for us. The issues of life rob us of the confidence of approaching the throne of grace to get help and mercy in time of need.

We were called to bear fruits (Jn. 15:16). These Scriptures are for us, that if we trust in God completely with all our hearts, walk in His will, we’ll reach to that point where all we need we receive.

So Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done. ²² "And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." Matthew 21:21-22

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷ For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸ he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. James 1:6-8

Once you pray, don’t allow Satan to instil doubt in you. Once you've cast your cares unto the Lord, you have to remain in faith, fighting off doubt, filling your mind with God’s Word. 

Amen. 

    George Wanjau

Sunday Service Morning Exhortation, Transformation Ministry, Ruiru. 


Brother George is the Men's Group Leader at Teaching Transformation Ministry. We are located along the Thika-Ruai Flyover Junction (at the Thika Rd./ Bypass intersection), Next to Eastgate Restaurant.