Psalm 112:7: “He will not be afraid of evil tidings; / His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.”

As believers, we certainly aren’t immune to trouble and heavy burdens; however, when we hear bad news, we don’t have to be paralyzed by fear because we trust in God. In his letter to the Romans, Paul the Apostle promises that God makes all things work together for good in the believer’s life (Rom. 8:28). We are all going to find ourselves in times that are difficult to handle: financial set backs, a teenage son or daughter who totals the car, or a close relative or friend who dies. The first thing to ask ourselves when we hear such news is: “Am I confident that everything is alright between me and the Creator of the universe?”

Quaker Hannah Whitall Smith wrote:

Most Christians are like a man who was toiling along the road, bending under a heavy burden, when a wagon overtook him, and the driver kindly offered to help him on his journey. He joyfully accepted the offer, but when he was seated, continued to bend beneath his burden, which he still kept on his shoulders. “Why do you not lay down your burden?” asked the kind-hearted driver. “Oh!” replied the man, “I feel that it is almost too much to ask you to carry me, and I could not think of letting you carry my burden too.”

Ridiculous? Of course, but many believers who have given Jesus control over their lives often continue to live a life bound up by their burdens. The danger is that we will struggle our whole lives, never walking in the complete freedom and victory of Jesus Christ. He is already carrying us along, even with our burdens, so why not just lay them at the foot of the cross right now?

“LORD, we trust You and ask You to carry our burdens today.”