July 13, 2017
“Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”—Psalm 55:22
Fear not when you feel the pressure of the many things before you. Fear not, but come to Me. I see when you are burdened and heavy laden. I see when you are in need of rest. Come to Me with all your burdens, and I will give you My promised rest.
Cast your cares, each and every one, upon Me, and trust that I will give you rest, for I have promised to give My beloved rest.1 You are My beloved child in whom I am well pleased. Trust that no matter what the task or burden you face, I will strengthen you, both for the tasks at hand and for the tasks ahead.
But first you must come unto Me and lay down your burdens. Cast your cares upon Me and allow Me to carry them for you and care for you. Don’t fret yourself for tomorrow, for as I have promised, tomorrow will take care of itself as you cast your burden on Me and continue to cast it on Me. Stand on your faith for this moment, hour, day, and year, and I will sustain you, as I have promised.
Are you worried and burdened with the strain of it all? This is the time to fly to Me on the wings of prayer, on the wings of My Spirit, and I will sustain you. No matter if the landscape ahead looms like a mountain on the horizon and is too big for you to climb. The pathway may be narrow and winding, and a rugged climb up the steep mountain trail. Many of the people you meet along the way are not always nice, and the obstacles that you must climb over require the utmost of skill. The climb can be too hard for you, but not too hard for Me.
Don’t worry about how you will make the climb, as you were not intended to go it alone. The burdens and challenges you face were not designed to fit your narrow shoulders alone, but they were intended for Me to help you to carry, as I lift you up and bear the burdens with you. I fashioned it this way in My love and in My compassion, so that you will draw close to Me.
I am the good shepherd, and I lead My sheep; I lead you in the paths of righteousness. I lead you in the path of My will, and where I lead, I also provide the strength. When you are spent and unable to continue, when you feel the burden and the strain of the path that is set before you, I will lead you into green pastures and by still waters. For I am your good shepherd and I have gone on ahead and prepared the way.
When the tasks are too hard and too much for your frail, human hands, remember that it is not too much for Me, and cast your cares upon Me. Look up into My face. Lie back in My everlasting arms. Lay your burdens on the altar and leave them there, and trust that I will sustain you. Leave them in My care. This is the secret to accomplishing what is set before you. Remember, when you are weak, then you are strong, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.2
As you fly to Me on the wings of prayer, as you retreat in rest and refilling, I will give you, day by day, step by step, moment by moment, the peace you seek, the strength to meet the challenges, and solutions to the problems. But first you must lean wholly on Me.
Stop, look, listen, and rest in Me. Pause and ask yourself what is getting in the way. Lean on Me and find your strength. Lean on Me and find that I, and I alone, am enough to sustain you. For as I have promised, My Word will keep you. As you walk, it will be your guide; as you lie down, it will keep you; and as you rise up, it will talk with you.
Don’t tell yourself, “There are giants in the land! How are we going to tackle this, and how are we going to do that?” Am I not able? Do not look down at the waves, but look up to Me! Praise is the voice of faith. Therefore praise Me for the answer and keep on trusting.
You can only do what you can do, and then you must leave the rest to Me. And this is why I allow these challenges before you—that you might learn to lean hard upon Me. As you find that I do sustain you, you may in turn comfort others, assuring them that as I sustain you, so will I sustain them.
“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”—1 Peter 5:7
I know, dear one, the overwhelming feeling that encompasses you when the tasks and challenges seem greater than you are able to bear. Look to the example of Martin Luther, who when he had a task too big, too hard, pulled back and took double time in prayer and sweet communion with Me. When he entered into his closet to pray, he entered empty. He emptied all of his pockets. He opened his heart and cast all of his burdens on My altar and left them there. This is the secret of quiet rest—casting all your care upon Me, knowing that I care for you, knowing that I know and care about every detail of every difficulty and problem, and I always will!
This battle must be fought and won first and foremost not by your might, nor by your power, but in quietness and confidence and leaning wholly on Me. As you pitch in and go ahead in the meekness of your faith and the quietness of your obedience, as you stay calm and meek and humble before Me, and quiet and believing, everything will turn out according to My will and plan.
Therefore don’t fret over what you should do or how you should proceed. Don’t worry about how you are to accomplish this or attend to that. Don’t tell yourself, “I am spent, I have nothing left to give!” But rest in the knowledge that I will sustain you, according to My promises.
Remind yourself that you have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of yourselves.3 For though it seems you are troubled on every side, yet you are not in distress, for your God is a mighty God, to the pulling down of strongholds. And though it would seem that you are perplexed, yet you do not despair.4 You are not forsaken; you may be cast down, but you will not be destroyed.5 Always carrying in your body My death, so that My life may also be manifested in you.6
And for this cause you don’t lose heart; but though your outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For your light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for you a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. And you look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.7
You know whom you believe and you are persuaded that I am able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all that you ask or think, and I am able to keep that which you have entrusted to Me.8
So let not your heart be troubled. Lie back and rest in My tender arms, and know that I look at you with love and mercy. Know that I will never leave you nor forsake you, for you are My beloved. Therefore take your rest.
Originally published September 1996. Adapted and republished July 2017.
Read by Gabriel Garcia Valdivieso. Music by Daniel Sozzi.
1 Psalm 127:2.
2 2 Corinthians 12:9–10.
3 2 Corinthians 4:7.
4 2 Corinthians 4:8.
5 2 Corinthians 4:9.
6 2 Corinthians 4:10.
7 2 Corinthians 4:16–18.
8 2 Timothy 1:12; Ephesians 3:20.
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