“God will never put more on you than you can handle.”
We have all heard this saying, often to encourage Christians to grin and bear life’s hardships. Many falsely believe that it is a Bible scripture. This saying is a misquote of 1 Corinthians 10:13 (KJV):
“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
This scripture is about overcoming the temptation to sin – not mustering the strength to carry our own burdens. God’s will for us is quite opposite as detailed in Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV):
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
We must release our burdens to God. He is the only one strong enough to carry them. The weight of our burdens causes fatigue, anxiety, and depression. Once we release them to God, He gives us peace.
Some of us are determined to carry life’s burdens to prove our resiliency. This is pride, not strength. Proverbs 16:18 (NIV) notes that “pride goes before destruction”. We will cause serious harm to ourselves by not releasing our burdens.
In theory, releasing burdens to God sounds great, but how is it actually done? The answer: Give God thanks. Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV) reads:
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Here is how to release your burdens:
- Write a list of the hardships you currently face, preferably in a prayer journal.
- For each hardship, write at least 5 things you are grateful for.
- Begin praying out loud by telling God about your hardships. Imagine yourself sitting directly across from Him having a one-on-one conversation.
- Then give God thanks. Express genuine gratitude to God for what He has done. You will find yourself thanking God for more than what you wrote down.
- Receive God’s peace.
Thanksgiving magnifies God above our hardships, allowing us to effectively worship God. When God is the focus of our worship, He removes the weight of our burdens and answers our prayers. He immediately gives us peace although our situation may not change right away. However, instant breakthroughs are possible after offering God thanks. Thanksgiving helps us to seek God first according to Matthew 6:33. When we seek, God provides!
Each time I complete this exercise, I feel lighter. My mind is clear and I am able to concentrate on God. I have even received breakthroughs within the same hour of praying. What are you waiting for? Release your burdens to God!
For today’s prayer, follow the five steps outlined in this blog post to release your burdens.
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