1 Kings 17:1-16
A burden is a heavy load that attaches itself to someone, sometimes not by choice (may be by chance) and not voluntarily. In 1 Kings 17:10-12, the widow of Zarephath had little food left not because she wanted to be poor, not because she wanted to be destitute, but because a prophet had prophesied in 1 Kings 17:1 that there will be no rain, no dew until he called for it as a result of the idolatry of the king.

The widow was suffering not because of her offense, but because of the head of her nation; and there was nothing she could do to get rid of the poverty. In 2 Kings 5:1, a man called Naaman was a famous, successful and prosperous man but he was a leper and there was nothing he could do about it. Leprosy was incurable in the old days. If money were to solve the problem, Naaman would have done it or if fame could have helped him, he was famous. If leprosy is something you could cut away with a sword, because he was an Army General, he would have done it. But everywhere he went; leprosy went with him that was a burden. Burdens could be some problems that weren’t even our own making and for which we have no solution on our own.

A burden bearer is someone who comes along to help carry that burden or load that you cannot carry or too heavy for you to carry; that load that attaches itself to you. That burden bearer is the Holy Spirit-the helper. (John 14:16, John 14:26) Brethren, do you have a burden in your life? Come to the burden bearer – the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. He will comfort you and lift the burden off your shoulders. Mathew 28:11 says “Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”. To enjoy rest from the burden, we need to accept and admit that a burden exists and that we need help. We also need to pray, praise and thank God and serve Him.

PRAYER POINT: Lord, please remove from me any residual burdens that I may have carried from my childhood