多年來，有位母親一直為她成年的女兒禱告，並協助女兒透過醫療保健系統，尋求心理諮詢和最佳的藥物治療。女兒的情緒高低起伏，就像重擔一樣天天壓在這位母親的心頭上。母親常因憂傷而感到心力交瘁，她意識到必須好好照顧自己。一位朋友建議她將憂慮和無法控制的事寫在小紙條上，並把這紙條放在床邊的一個盤子裡，象徵全然交給上帝。這麼簡單的方式雖無法消除所有的壓力，但看到這個盤子，就會令她想起，這些憂慮全都已經挪到上帝的盤子裡了。

在某種程度上，大衛也可說是藉著詩歌講述各種困境，將困難放在上帝的盤子裡（詩篇55篇1、16-17節）。如果詩篇55篇的背景是大衛的兒子押沙龍發動叛變，那麼大衛的摯友亞希多弗的確出賣他，並出謀劃策殺害大衛（撒母耳記下15-16章）。因此，大衛「晚上、早晨、晌午哀聲悲歎」，上帝垂聽他的禱告（詩篇55篇1-2、16-17節）。大衛選擇將「重擔卸給耶和華」，經歷上帝的扶持與眷顧（22節）。

我們確實會受到憂愁和恐懼的影響，甚至可能會跟大衛有相同的想法：「但願我有翅膀像鴿子，我就飛去得享安息」（6節）。然而，上帝就在我們身邊，唯獨祂有能力可改變你我的處境，讓我們把所有的重擔放在上帝的盤子裡吧！

For years, a mother prayed as she helped her adult daughter navigate the healthcare system and find counseling and the best medications. Her extreme highs and deep lows weighed on her mama’s heart day after day. Often exhausted from sadness, she realized she had to take care of herself too. A friend suggested writing out her worries and things she couldn’t control on small pieces of paper and placing them on “God’s plate” at her bedside. This simple practice didn’t eliminate all stress, but seeing that plate reminds her those concerns are on God’s plate, not hers.

In a way, many of David’s psalms were his way of listing his troubles and laying them on God’s plate (Psalm 55:1, 16-17). If the coup attempt by his son Absalom is what’s being described, David’s “close friend” Ahithophel had indeed betrayed him and was involved in the plot to kill him (2 Samuel 15-16). So “evening, morning and noon [David cried] out in distress,” and God heard his prayer (Psalm 55:1-2, 16-17). He chose to “cast [his] cares on the Lord” and experienced His care (v. 22).

We can authentically acknowledge that worries and fears affect us all. We may even have thoughts like David’s: “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest” (v. 6). God is near and is the only one who has the power to change situations. Place it all on His plate.