The writing to follow is something I wrote a few years ago, but God just placed it on my heart to share again,
How do you look at burdens, disappointments, illness? Do you
ever feel sometimes that as a believer you should not ever see yourself as being
burdened? Can you see the good in
burdens that we may face? I know I
started with a lot of questions… where do I find the answers?
When I started thinking and praying about writing this
devotional, I had no idea where God was going to take me. The words “burden” and “blessing”
kept coming to my mind. In fact I had
previously posted something on my other blog titled “Burden or Blessing” not
realizing that this was the place God wanted me to go for this devotional. The first verse that comes to my mind when I
think of burden is:
“Cast your burden on
the LORD,
And He shall sustain you;
He shall never permit the
righteous to be moved.” - Psalm 55:22
No matter what we may be going through God is always there
to carry our load if we will just
give it to Him. How can a burden be
turned into a blessing or better yet how do I let God turn a burden into a
blessing in my heart and life? When the
dreams and plans we may have for our lives just don’t go the way we think they
should… how do we take that burden, that disappointment, that hurt and let God
work His miracle to turn it into a
blessing. It just amazes me to see how
God can take ashes and make something new out of them.
For years I carried a burden with me. It was so personal and I “suffered” in
silence most of the time, but anyone that really knew me knew it was always
there. I felt at times it became my
identity… the burden of never being able to have a baby. Many, many tests were done, but still no real
reason for the infertility… no reason for the emptiness… no reason for the
loss… no reason why I couldn’t give my husband a child. For a long time I kept asking why God would
allow such a thing to be a part of MY life… I always have done my best to live
for Him… why did I have to carry this burden when I wanted to be a mom so
badly? I got plenty of answers from so
many people, but I never really got the answer I was looking for from God.
I would often think of Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of
your heart.”
I know I was born with the desire in my heart to be a mother. I also know God gave me that desire. Then why when I was “delighting myself in the
Lord” was He not giving me the desires of my heart?
I never did receive an answer to that exact question, but
what I did receive was that if I had a willing
heart to trust that God knows best, He can change the desires of my heart. He can relieve the burden of the loss of my dreams. And yes, He can even turn this burden into a blessing.
You might ask where is the blessing. The blessing comes from me surrendering my desires to His way in
my life. Psalm 37:5 goes on to say, “Commit your way to
the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.”
That is a promise
from God… a God who never changes (Hebrews 13:8)… a God who never lies (Hebrews
6:18 )… a God who will never let me
go. (Isaiah 41:13) It may not be my plan
but it is God’s plan. This is a favorite
quote that relates to this, “It is dangerous to mistake my wishes for God’s will.”
Satan hates it when we can find the blessing in the burden.
One of our enemy’s greatest weapons is discouragement… if I allow him to take
that burden and add his lies and deception, then he has got me right where he
wants me. He will use discouragement and discontentment to turn my heart away
from God and all the blessings God has for me.
How do I combat when Satan wants to bring up that hurt and
try to turn it back into a burden? I
praise & worship God. I am not
saying it is always easy, but I do know that God has already won the victory and I am so thankful I
am on the winning side.
These are a few verses that help me praise God in those
difficult moments. I pray you will
meditate on them and that you find comfort
for whatever burden you may be carrying today.
"I waited patiently for the LORD; and He
inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and
set my feet upon a rock, and
established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth— Praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the
LORD.” -
“Be of
good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the
LORD.” -
“The LORD
will give strength to His people; the LORD will bless His people with peace.” -
“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my
heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and
with my song I will praise Him.” -
I pray that through God’s leading I will be used to be a
blessing to someone today. Giving God all the glory, in Jesus’ Name.
Questions to ask yourself:
Has there been a time in your life when you thanked God for
a burden?
Share how God has turned a burden into a blessing in your
life.
What do you do to get through those difficult moments?
Rejoicing in Truth!
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