Whenever you feel discouraged or life has you down, always look to Jesus. He is the Saviour and the One always here to help. I think the problem that most of us face in life is carrying too much of the burden upon ourselves and not giving enough of it (all of it) to Him.

I remember hearing the story of a man one time who said he went to church one day. The preacher asked if anyone needed to be saved. Immediately the man's hand shot up, literally on it's own and he found him self kneeling down at the alter a couple seconds after that. He was in tears as the preacher asked the man if he had accepted Christ as his personal saviour. The man did and he remembered a huge amount of weight coming off of his shoulders at that moment! He literally felt lighter from that moment on. Glory to God!

You see, when we give it to Him, the weight is lifted off! I believe this is a daily process. As we draw closer to Him and learn to trust Him more, we will ultimately die to our selves and He will truly become our All and All. The weight will be gone! Remember, like anything else with God, this takes time and is a continual life long process. We never reach ultimate perfection until He returns (but we do improve daily)! (Phil. 3:12-16, 1 John 3:2)

This is also why daily prayer and time spent with God each day is so important. It helps us to draw closer to the Father and the Son, to be filled with His Spirit, and most of all to give it all to Him and to let Him know where we need Him most in our lives.

Listen to the prayer that Hannah makes to God in 1 Samuel (the name Hannah means "Grace" in the Hebrew language). It is such a beautiful and humble prayer and one of the few that is recorded in the Bible so dramatically. It really let's you see the importance of coming to God with everything and giving it to Him and seeing how He works in our lives to answer our prayers, just as He did with Hannah thousands of years ago. Here it is:

The Prayer of Hannah
1 Sam. 1:9-20 "Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the Lord's temple. In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the LORD. And she made a vow, saying, "O LORD Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant's misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head."

As she kept on praying to the LORD, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, "How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine."

"Not so, my lord," Hannah replied, "I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the LORD. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief."

Eli answered, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him."

She said, "May your servant find favor in your eyes." Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.

Early the next morning they arose and worshipped before the LORD and then went back to their home at Ramah. Elkanah lay with Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her. So in the course of time Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, "Because I asked the LORD for him."

Wow, what a wonderful passage of Scripture! What wonderful truths it holds for you and me! Look at how it says that Hannah poured her heart out to God, so much that even the Priest thought she was drunk (thank heavens she wasn't)! But God answered her prayer and remembered her heartfelt cry to Him. After this prayer the burden was lifted and she could eat again and her countenance was changed (Verse 18)! She had poured her heart out to the Lord and the burden was lifted! Praise Him!

You see, that's what God desires. For us to come to Him with open arms, embracing all that He truly is. For you and me to lay it all down at the cross, to give it all to Him. Everything. Every little part of our lives that He might take care of us and be our Provider! He is looking to bless us and to take the weight off. He truly is the great Burden Bearer, and as you come to Him you will truly begin to realize what that means. Just as He bore the burden of the cross two thousand years ago for you and me, He bears our burdens each and every day for each and every one of us even to this very day. God Bless! Amen.