The Burden Maker and Burden Taker: Finding Freedom from Fear in Jesus

I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. – Psalm 34:4

The Burden Maker and Burden Taker: Finding Freedom from Fear in Jesus

I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart.

Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt His name together.

I prayed to the Lord, and He answered me. He freed me from all my fears.

Those who look to Him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces.

In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; He saved me from all my troubles.

Psalm 34:2-6

Life has a way of throwing things at us that are completely out of our control. It’s easy to let fear and anxiety take over. But in Psalm 34, David shows us a better way. Instead of trying to power through his own fear, he turns to his Lord in prayer. He lets Jesus take over. Jesus is the only One who has the power to deliver us from our fears, even when our circumstances remain unchanged.

This is because the Lord’s deliverance doesn't mean He instantly removes every trial the moment we turn to Jesus. On the contrary, as both the "Burden Maker and Burden Taker," He allows trials into our lives to make us more dependent on Him, building our endurance and faith.

Everyone in this world carries burdens, but only the believer can be truly delivered from the fear of them—finding freedom from fear in Jesus, our Savior.

God Transforms Our Hearts in Trials

In this Psalm, David is literally running for his life and pretending to be insane just to survive an evil king. Yet, God chooses not to remove the immediate danger that's on the outside. Instead, He transforms what's on the inside. Through prayer, the Lord loosens the grip of fear on David's heart and replaces it with a deep, steady confidence in Him. He settles David's heart, strengthening him. This reminds us of Isaiah 41:10, where God tells us not to fear because He is with us, strengthening us and holding us up with His righteous right hand.

The word used for "delivered" means to snatch away or rescue. God actively steps in to help us when we're in trouble. He doesn't just leave us alone in our hopes that our anxiety will somehow disappear on its own. As Alistair Begg explains in his Ecclesiastes sermon series—one of my favorites—"God is the Burden Maker and Burden Taker." God allows us to feel the weight of a burden so He can show us that He's the only One who is able to take it away, where we get to experience the power of His rescue. Jesus uses our trials to draw us closer to Him, turning our fear or struggle into the very place where He sets us free.

What Biblical Deliverance Looks Like

That is the beautiful process of biblical deliverance. Often, the Lord begins by revealing what is hidden in our own hearts—not to condemn us, but to make us aware. True humility and self awareness are key steps in deliverance. He gently holds up a mirror to our sins and fears, inviting us to bring every piece of it to Jesus. Then, He sustains us, teaches us how to live, and shows us the way to go, one small step at a time. The valley of trials is often jagged, but He always makes the next step clear and straightforward. For He is not a God of confusion but of peace and clarity. He does this by giving us the wisdom we ask for, walking right through the middle of the trial with us.

Rather than giving us an immediate escape from every problem, our Heavenly Father trains us in His loving discipline. Through our trials, the Holy Spirit teaches us to depend on Jesus alone, granting us the wisdom, discernment, comfort, and confidence we need. Then, the Lord ultimately delivers us in His perfect timing. It’s all about looking to Jesus when we’re afraid and knowing He's the only One who has the power to rescue us from the myriad trials of life.

Delivered From The Ultimate Fear

Because of Jesus' perfect life and finished work on the cross, we know we’ve been delivered from the ultimate fear— from “the king of all terrors”—from death itself. Our security is eternal, and our eternity is secure. As He says in John 10:27-28, His sheep hear His voice, He knows them, and no one can snatch them out of His hand. Once we believe in Jesus, we can't lose our salvation. Of course, that doesn't mean we can just live however we want. True believers don’t want to live in sin; instead, we want to live a life that honors Jesus.

There is absolutely nothing in your life that falls outside of God's providence and care. He knows every hair on your head and every anxious thought in your head. This promise covers an all-inclusive sweep—"all my fears." It doesn't matter if those fears are small or big, rational or irrational. So think about it—since Jesus has already saved us from the very rational fear of death, why wouldn't He also save us from all our comparably smaller fears? And since He's the One who commands us not to fear, we can trust that He'll give us the grace we need to obey Him.

So today, let's stop focusing on the outside storm and look to Jesus instead, who settles our hearts in Him and strenghtens us. As you bring Him all your fears, He will give you wisdom, show you the way out, and be the One who takes away that burden.

My Journey in the Valley

I recently walked through a two-year health trial where the mystery and suffering of it all felt overwhelming and relentless. Many times I was anxious and afraid. The path was jagged and winding. Yet, looking back, I can see how my Heavenly Father’s hand was so gentle and patient with me through it all. He definitely didn't instantly remove the thorn! Rather the trial just kept going! But He made every single step clear for me, right when I needed to take it. He gave me wisdom every time I asked for it. Through the difficult training, the Holy Spirit grew my endurance and faith tremendously. Like Job, I can now say, I had heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You (Job 42:5). I see my Heavenly Father's love in His discipline so much! He is so kind and caring to have brought me to where I am today, even though the discipline was painful! (Heb 12:11).

The Lord proved Himself to be the ultimate Burden Maker and Burden Taker—allowing that heavy weight on me so that He could be the One to carry me through it and lift it away. He used the breaking of my body to soften and humble my heart, drawing me into a closer relationship with Jesus than ever before. Today, I stand on the other side healthy, strong, and full of a radiant joy that the world cannot give or take away. Which now, going forward, I just might find it a bit easier "to count it all joy when facing trials of many kinds!" For I've seen firsthand what trials produce in me...His own perfecting work. This painful discipline has finally produced that peaceful harvest of right living in my life! (Heb 12:11). And experiencing Jesus' love in this way has changed how I see others. It has made me want to be more gentle and patient with those around me.

If you're in the middle of a jagged and winding valley right now, do not lose heart or give up. And don't go your own way! Go Jesus' way. Keep trusting Him. Keep asking for wisdom. Jesus cares and He's walking right through the valley with you. Today, bring Him your burden to take away. He will help you. And in His perfect timing, He will deliver you from all your fears, bringing you into that place of radiant joy.