08/01/10

Casting the burden the right way

Psalms 55:22 - Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.


The usual tendency of any worldly person would be to give back to the same person any rubbish thrown; may be at higher speed (so it hurts more) or adding unto it (where it hurts most).

What is expected of a Christian in these circumstances?

People think a Christian is not supposed to react and behave like a punching bag receiving and receiving all the wrong without saying a word. On the contrary the Bible does not tell us this.

Firstly when someone hurts us in any way, we do not receive and keep the hurt. When someone hurts us we receive it on behalf of the Lord, so they are not hurting us but hurting the Lord. That means when someone hurts us we do not collect all of them and latter sit with the Lord in prayer and cast it unto Him. It means there and then as the person is hurting us we are casting it unto the Lord. Since we are not receiving it we are not affected.

The word Hebrew word translated as 'burden' is the word 'ye-hawb' which basically means 'that which is given'. This means not only bad but even good things. It means everything good and bad that is given unto us we receive it on behalf of the Lord. If someone blesses us, the Lord will bless that person; and if they curse us, then it is the Lord Who is going to handle that too. Thus revenge is not ours to take, but for the Lord to take.

Secondly does it mean we are supposed to become bunching bags not reacting at all - No.

The scripture tells us we need to be righteous to be in this promise. Being righteous means doing it the Lord's way - the right way. If we read the New Testament we will see the righteous way in the ways of the Apostles. When they were harmed they did not just keep dumb they in fact reacted with good. Like in the case of Paul and Silas who were thrown in prison, they landed saving the Roman jailor and his family.

In simple words a true Christian does not return back any bad done unto them. Nor does a Christian keep silent, he or she is expect to respond, but respond with good. It also does not mean when someone hurts us we just give them a rose, No. We are required to genuinely do good unto that person, may be in action or even in our prayer.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord Jesus, we call ourselves Christian which means we represent You. When some blesses us help us to remember we are receiving on your behalf and in the same way when someone curses us or hurts us we are not the true recipients. Lord, we are just your vessels; show us the best way that we can be a blessing unto those who try to hurt us...

We make this prayer in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scriptures ]
Acts 16:19-34
19 But when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they laid hold on Paul and Silas, and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers,
20 and when they had brought them unto the magistrates, they said, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,
21 and set forth customs which it is not lawful for us to receive, or to observe, being Romans.
22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent their garments off them, and commanded to beat them with rods.
23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
24 who, having received such a charge, cast them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
25 But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns unto God, and the prisoners were listening to them;
26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison-house were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.
27 And the jailor, being roused out of sleep and seeing the prison doors open, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.
28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
29 And he called for lights and sprang in, and, trembling for fear, fell down before Paul and Silas,
30 and brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy house.
32 And they spake the word of the Lord unto him, with all that were in his house.
33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, immediately.
34 And he brought them up into his house, and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, with all his house, having believed in God.

Luke 6:27-28
27 But I say unto you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you,
28 bless them that curse you, pray for them that despitefully use you.

Romans 12:19-21
19 Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto the wrath of God: for it is written, Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will recompense, saith the Lord.
20 But if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him to drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head.
21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

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