Overwhelming Problems

There are times in our lives when we go through seasons of anxiety. We begin to crush under the weight of what seem like insurmountable problems. These may be: failures at work, relationship disappointments, spiritual doubt, the success of evil in the world, fatigue, etc.

This picture shows the remains of a wall built in Jerusalem during the time of King Hezekiah. The wall was intended to protect Jerusalem during a siege by Assyrian King Sennacherib.

The Jewish historian, Jeremiah, in approx- imately 550 B.C., recorded a season of doubt exper- ienced by Hezekiah, King of Judah, when his kingdom was threatened by this brutal Assyrian king. The Assyrians were a great civilization growing in power and in reputation for acts of brutality and cruelty. Jeremiah records an instance when an Assyrian general sent a threatening letter to King Hezekiah. The letter promised Hezekiah that Jerusalem would soon be conquered and destroyed.

How did Hezekiah respond? The Old Testament records that he read the letter, went into the temple of the Lord, spread the letter out before the Lord, and uttered a prayer of supplication. What a great example that Hezekiah sets for us. Those burdens that we carry should be written down on paper and then laid out before the Lord! We can lay our problems at the foot of Christ's cross, turn them over to Him, and let Him fight our battles.

Our loving, but powerful and capable Savior, who loved us enough to die on the cross in our place, for our sins, will manage all our troubles for us. He will carry us through our difficult times if we give our burdens to Him. Entering into a relationship with Christ has eternal benefits, but there are earthly benefits as well!