Carrying a Burden
“Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you;…” Psalm 55:22
When I was in my Tween years, we had a beautiful boxer named Greta. She was an amazing watch dog, companion and just an all-around good farm dog. She kept the coons out of the corn at night as well as a low woodchuck population. If she saw another dog too close to our farm property, she went on alert. If they crossed the road, look out! She was not allowed to leave our property.
One day when I got off the bus, there was another dog across the field. I went in the back door and let her out to keep the other dog at bay. By the time she got around the house, the other dog had crossed the field and was way too close. Greta went after it!
I heard tires squeal and a dog yelp. Surely it couldn’t be Greta. It had to be the other dog. The man and woman got out of their car and began crying. Greta was lying on the side of the road and would not get up. My terrified thoughts were that I had killed my best friend by letting her outside.
Mom and Dad took her to the vet who said she had head trauma but no broken bones. He was not able to promise anything. We had to wait. After about a week, she came home but she was not the same. She seemed so distant—like she did not even recognize me. The first night went well but the second night, she had seizures and could not get up. They took her back to the vet but she died on the way.
I was broken hearted. I carried that burden for over fifty-five years. During my very last visit with my mother, I had a chance to just sit and talk with her. I told her of my burden of guilt with Greta. She just sat in her bed and stared at me.
Finally, she spoke. “All this time, you really thought you killed the dog?”
“Yes, it was my thoughtlessness that got her killed.”
Mom hesitated and then smiled at me and motioned for me to come over to her bedside. She hugged me saying, “I’m so sorry you didn’t say something years ago. Why did you hold this in for so long? That is a heavy burden for a child to carry around. You were not driving the car. You were not disobedient and cross the road. It was an accident.”
Relieved, we both cried and then laughed about all the goofy stuff Greta used to do. Perhaps that is why boxers remain my favorite dogs.
The faith lesson to be learned is that we don’t need to carry life’s burdens alone! We have a Lord and Savior Who loves us and willingly carries our troubles and fears, our guilt and shame. 1 Peter 5:7 says “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for us.”
Father, help us to bring our burdens to You and not hide them. AMEN.