Burden defined: something that is carried; load, duty, responsibility.
There are several uses of this word in Scripture.Psalm 55:22 says, Cast your burden on the Lord, for He cares for you.
Here, burden = worries and anxieties; things that weigh us down (see Matt.6:25-34; 11:28; Gal.6:2)
A burden is also a sense of duty or responsibility. It is more than simply seeing an unmet need. There are many things that we see that are wrong or needs that go unmet, some that we may feel led to pray for. However, a burden, from my experience is something I see and pray for and then feel a tremendous weight of responsibility to take action and do something about.
Jesus was burdened when he saw the multitudes, "When He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd" (Matt.9:36)
He did more than just see them and feel bad for them. He was "moved" with compassion. IOW, He took action. Moved with compassion = burden . The thought of people, harassed and helpless, wandering aimlessly through life, grabbed ahold of His heart and tugged on Him. He was consumed with the duty/responsibility to do something in response to the need he saw.
A burden from the Lord is a sense of duty and responsibility towards a particular people in a particular place. I see a need. I pray for the people who have this need. I ask the Lord to provide for this need that is unmet. He responds by asking me,"What will you do in response to this unmet need?"
Matthew 9:35-38. Jesus sees a great need; a plentiful harvest filled with needy people. He then turns to His disciples and commands them to pray, so that God will send out more laborers to join the few who are already laboring. Then in Ch.10 he instructs them to go and prepares them for the task at hand.
He gave them a burden "The harvest is plentiful, yet very few have responded, pray about what God would have you to do." That's a burden...Jesus laying the need before them. Vision comes when they pray, when they say, "We see the need, Lord, what are we to do."
Vision, then, is how I see meeting meeting the need that God has layed before me (burden). As I pray for these people and the need (or unmet need) hat I see, what will my response be. I pray, and God shows me the way to meet the need.
Provision= God providing the resources to meet the need that I saw and prayed for.
I saw the need and felt a responsiblity to do something (Burden)
I prayed to the Lord and He showed/revealed to me what to do and how to do it (Vision)
I began to develop enthusiasm and motivation to take action; I went to the people and place God had given me a burden and vision for. Now He is providing the resources for me to carry out the mission He has sent me on. (Provision)
Vision follows burden...provision follows vision
