Trading Burdens for Peace

Michael W.
Oct 25
3 min read

Why You Need to Bring Your Problems to the Altar

Life has a way of piling things up, doesn't it? Whether it's the weight of a financial crisis, the pain of a broken relationship, the anxiety of an uncertain future, or the struggle with a persistent sin, we all carry burdens that feel too heavy to bear. We try to handle them, solve them, or hide them—but inevitably, we find ourselves exhausted and overwhelmed.

If this is where you find yourself today, the Bible offers a singular, powerful command and a divine invitation: Bring your problem to the Altar.

What Does the Altar Represent?

In the Old Testament, the altar was the sacred, designated place for sacrifice. It wasn't a casual meeting spot; it was the place where everything was laid down—the best of the flock, the first of the harvest—in an act of surrender and devotion to God. It was the point of communion, where the human met the holy, and atonement was made.

Today, we no longer need a physical structure or animal sacrifice because Jesus Christ became our ultimate sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10). However, the principle of the altar remains critically important in our spiritual lives. Our "altar" is a metaphorical place of complete surrender, where we give God our whole selves—including our messiest problems.

The Apostle Paul spoke of this altar in the New Covenant when he wrote in Romans 12:1: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship."

Bringing your problem to the altar means offering it up as part of that "living sacrifice." It means admitting that you are incapable of fixing it and choosing to submit the outcome to the one who is fully sovereign.

The Act of Surrender

So, practically, what does it look like to bring your burden to the altar? It involves two fundamental steps: Naming and Releasing.

1. Name the Sacrifice

You cannot surrender what you refuse to acknowledge. Bringing your burden to the altar means you must clearly identify the problem you are laying down. Is it unforgiveness? Your pride? Your financial future? Say it out loud to God in prayer. Be specific. When you name the problem, you are defining the exact thing you are sacrificing—not physically, but in terms of control.

2. Release Your Grip

This is the hardest part. The act of laying something on the altar is one thing; walking away and leaving it there is another. We often try to place our problems down while keeping a finger on them, ready to grab them back if God doesn't move immediately.

The altar demands full relinquishment. It requires faith that God sees you, hears you, and is powerful enough to handle the situation better than you ever could. 1 Peter 5:7 encourages us to "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." That word "cast" implies a violent, deliberate throwing away.

The Promise of the Altar

When we move our problem from the list of things we need to fix to the list of things we have surrendered to God, we receive an incredible exchange: Peace.

Philippians 4:6-7 provides the beautiful result of taking our requests to the Lord: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."