How do I give my burdens to the Lord?

[Torn]

I was talking with a friend about some marital issues I'm having (thanks to myself and some mistakes I've made) and she told me "I know He can lift your burden, you just have to LET him - give it to Him ya know?" But honestly... despite being a lifelong member of the church, I don't know how to do this. My life is SO messed up right now... I really need the Lord to be on my side, and I feel like He's completely abandoned me. How do I give myself to Him and get through this? *sob*

[Guest mormonmusic]

I had burdens lifted on three separate occasions.

Once was when I was a teenager, and had just found God. I asked Him to give me peace, and afterwards the depression was gone.

The second time I had a burden lifted was after I received a priesthood blessing of Comfort and Counsel.

The third time was after I finished teaching someone the Gospel. My mind was completely cleared and that depressive feeling in the chest completely cleared off. I felt at peace for a couple days after that. And I didn't even ask for it.

[nzorient]

Hi, when I was younger, I had a special experience. My answer to your question would be to focus on the Atonement. When Christ suffered, when he drank the bitter cup, when he hung on the cross - It was to take the burdens off your shoulders and make you whole again. I found healing in my spirit when I learned the meaning of the Atonement and knowing that it was done for me, personally, for reasons no one else knows except the Lord - and He has done the same for you.

As song that came to my mind goes... "Learn of Me and listen to my words, walk in the meakness of my light... For I will give you peace, my love will never cease, for I am Jesus Christ."

Grab a hold of your responsibilities, seeking the Lords help if you seem stuck. You will know that the Lord is with you because he prepared the way before you.

[Elgama]

For me its gaining a peace that Heavenly Father will never push us beyond what we can bear several times in my life I have found my heart screaming I can't go on I have nothing left to give emtionally, physically, spiritually and mentally and guess I was right - its usually been middle of night and in the bath lol - why is that the time most people feel at their most helpless, I usually then feel heavy and fall into a deep sleep next morning things start to improve.

We have had something happen recently - that involved us having to listen to the Lord and we asked for things to halt immediatly the next morning police came round with cameras which halted my next door neighbours activities and received an answer about what to do with a situation at church we have had very few problems with both areas

Just ask sincerely and have peace know the Lord will guide you

-Charley

[bmy-]

Maybe you just need to bear those burdens? As a reminder of your mistakes. I'm not suggesting not to pray, etc. I'm suggesting that sometimes pain is the best teacher of all..

[LostSheep]

Maybe you just need to bear those burdens? As a reminder of your mistakes. I'm not suggesting not to pray, etc. I'm suggesting that sometimes pain is the best teacher of all..

In my opinion, God doesn't teach us lessons by making us carry burdens, but by experience what CAUSED those burdens. We chose to carry burdens, instead of trusting the lord to do it for us. I'm not saying that God will do ALL the work. You at least have to carry the burdens to him. Don't expect him to come and take them from you.

[Misshalfway]

I was talking with a friend about some marital issues I'm having (thanks to myself and some mistakes I've made) and she told me "I know He can lift your burden, you just have to LET him - give it to Him ya know?" But honestly... despite being a lifelong member of the church, I don't know how to do this. My life is SO messed up right now... I really need the Lord to be on my side, and I feel like He's completely abandoned me. How do I give myself to Him and get through this? *sob*

I am not sure I know the best answer. I have decided that it has to do with how we think about things. I think its a combination of minute by minute opening our hearts and minds to the Lord's influence and then I think its mentally handing him our problems or pain or messed up circumstances and then trusting that He will, in His own time and way, help us.

I use visualizations. I literally picture myself holding my burdens and then placing them at the feet of or actually in the hands of the Lord. I picture His face. I picture and imagine the tender mercies shining from Him. Sometimes I find that I have worried about my problems so much that I take them back from the Lord and in that case I have to visualize taking my hands off and allowing God to work. Again its like disciplining my mind to maintain my trust when I can't see or know what God is doing to help me.

Sometimes its tricky because we have our responsibility to clean up the mess we make or to learn the lesson, as BMY stated, from the pain. God won't take away necessary experience because the pain changes us in important ways. But I think its learning to combine our best efforts with His incredible power. If you have this continual mindset as you travel through the hard times ( there is no way round....only through), I find that He helps my reactions to people and emotional triggers.....he helps the problem resolve in better ways than I could on my own....etc.

I am sorry you are experiencing difficult times. BUT.....don't let the pain or processing of the pain disturb you. Place your heart and pain and situation in God's hands and then learn to be still and know he will help you. It's a decision to trust God's power in determination and not trust your eyes or your pain receptors.

Does that help?

Edited December 15, 2009 by Misshalfway

[Guest mormonmusic]

My comments below refer to situations where you don't have control over the circumstances that are contributing to your suffering.

To have burdens lifted, you need an attitude of humility and almost resignedness to your situation . It also includes being prayerful in your heart and mind throughout the day, particularly in moments of acute suffering. I've said this before, but I've often repeated phrases in my mind that bring on this attitude of humility, such as "heavenly father, help me to rely on thee".

If you want to read about people who "convinced the Lord" to lift their burdens, read Mosiah 24:10-16 and beyond. That passage describes how slaves had physical AND spiritual burdens lifted due to the attitudes they adopted while in bondage. This scripture states that faith and patience are the pre-requisites to having your burdens lifted. I believe faith refers to your belief that the Lord WILL break your circumstances and therefore free you of the suffering, eventually. Patience refers to acceptance of your circumtances, and a willingness to let them continue until the Lord sees fit to change them.

People who complain, kick and fight, get angry at God, and adopt a "pity me" attitude toward their circumstances don't find favor in the eyes of the Lord. It's as if he doesn't want to reward those tendencies in character by lifting your burdens. Instead, He lifts burdens and delivers people from their circumstances when they show strength of character.

And interesting enough, attitudes of faith, and patience, actually bring you greater happiness in and of themselves, without God's intervention.

As an aside, did you know James E Talmage said 'Everything was suffer in this life has a compensating blessing in the next, provided the trial is met with patience". Patience in the person who is suffering is very important to the Lord if he's going to release his blessings to you. It means the "Just World Hypothesis" is true -- that this existence will eventually be fair to everyone. That should also make carrying burdens easier.

Edited December 15, 2009 by mormonmusic