“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.”  Psalm 68:19 NIV

I used to have a job where I was out of my office a lot during the course of the day, and would often place my cell phone in my back pocket.  What I found remarkable, and sometimes a little humorous, was that, occasionally, I would feel as though my cell phone was vibrating in my back pocket – only, it wasn’t  there.  When we are used to having something in a certain place, feeling a certain way, it can be easy to imagine that we are feeling its presence there – even when it’s not.

Every day God bears our burdens.  The verse above doesn’t say that He is willing to bear them.  It says He bears them.  God does it.  Every day.

So, why are we walking around carrying burdens?  How are we walking around carrying burdens?  You know what?  I think it is possible to feel burdened when there is actually no burden there (just as I “felt” my cell phone vibrating when it was not actually there).

Suppose I was used to carrying a ten pound rock in my backpack.  Now suppose I took it out and gave it to someone else to carry.  Or better yet, suppose someone took it out on their own – maybe without me even  knowing.  I might very possibly continue to “feel” like the rock is there – especially if I had been carrying it around for a long time.

Similarly, I think we sometimes carry around these “imaginary” burdens that are truly no longer there.  God has taken them away, just as He said He would.  Yet, we continue to be weighed down.  But we don’t have to be.  We know that we can cast our cares upon Him, because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).  And we know that we needn’t be anxious for anything – but should pray for what we need (Philippians 4:6).

Since we are, in reality, free from the burdens, wouldn’t it be fun to feel like it – and live like it?  Let’s endeavor to do that – shall we?