Have you ever gotten up in the morning, feeling just a little down? I am not one given to depression, but recently it happened. I think the devil has many ways of getting to God's people. He uses any method or means he can. And if he can use depression, he certainly will. This particular day, I opened up my little "Daily Light," devotional book, the verse on the top of the reading struck me. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” Isaiah 26:3. The message was exactly what I needed. I read on.

The next verse was from Psalm 55:33: "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee; he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.." The heavy feeling was beginning to lift. I prayed, "God, on thee I cast my burden. Please carry it for me, and hold me up."....

I was reminded of a time in my childhood when I went to the grocery store with Mom. The distance was about a mile-and-a-half. On the return trip, with our paper shopping bags full of groceries, I became very tired and begin to complain that the rolled-paper handles (no soft plastic shopping bags in those days) were beginning to cut into my hands. I was carrying only one small shopping bag in each hand. Mom carried two large bags full. Seeing my distress, she said, "Set your bags down for awhile. We'll have a little rest." After about a minute, without saying anything, she picked up her shopping bags, settled them in her hands, and then she reached down and scooped mine up, too. She had freed me of my burden, taking it upon herself.

That's what Jesus does, He frees us of our burden, letting us walk beside Him without any encumbrances.

The next passage in the devotional book was: "I will trust and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song: he also is become my salvation." Isaiah 12:2 and "Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? " Matthew 8:26.

"Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." Philippians 4:6...So many times we forget that God is walking beside us. We forget that God is carrying our shopping bags.

We worry and stew over things that we cannot do anything about. But God can. I have often found myself fretting over little things, and a gentle voice says, "Let God look after it." My reply is, "Okay, God, it's up to you." And before you know it, God has answered my prayer in ways that I couldn't even have imagined.

The devotional goes on: "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and mind through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7

The last part of the devotional reads like this: "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:27.