I realize that one can’t dichotomously be starkly free or burdened, but how would you characterize where you are? Equally important – do you know how you got there? Also, do you see yourself as the one others come to ‘unburden’ themselves or are you the one seeking to unburden yourself? Interestingly enough, scripture says a great deal about ‘burdens’, probably because this is a reality for us. Some of the scriptures related to burdens:
“Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will
never permit the righteous to be moved.” (Psalm55:22)
“For I, the Lord your God; hold your right hand; it is I who say
to you, ‘Fear not, I am the one who helps you.” (Isaiah 41;13)
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest. Take my yoke upon and, and learn from me, for I am gentle
and lowly in heart, and you will find rest.” (Matthew 11:28-29)
“..do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer
and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known
to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)
“…casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.” (1Peter 5:7)
Those scriptures should end all doubt about what we should do about the burdens we are carrying. It never does though, does it?
Who is it we are suppose to cast the burdens on? Your spouse? Your family? Your friends? Those in your church? Blame your boss? Your family? Whoever happens to be handy? Obviously, not. The God of the Universe tells us that we are to cast our burdens on Him! Can you even comprehend bothering God with your burdens – big and small? Probably not. But all those scriptures tell us to do precisely this. Why? Because He cares for us – He wants us to find rest, to not be anxious, to not fear. He wants us healthy and strong.
There is a kind of caveat in this, which is found in Galatians 6:2 which tells us to bear one another’s burdens. Paul can’t be contradicting the other verses in scripture so what does he mean? My understanding is that in this context we are to join with the person, not take their burdens away from them. Part of my rationale is that if we take the burden away from the person rather than join with them; when we assume their burdens we don’t honor their responsibilities and abilities. We all need help from one another at times, but we don’t dump on others or take their issues from them. When we take away their burden then we undermine who they are and their ownership of both the burden and resolution.
One of the most effective ways we help (ourselves and others) when ladened down is to pray with and for them, lead them to scripture they can stand on to turn to the One who can help. We can become that human touch of understanding so they can reach a point of rest. All of us become burdened at times but we can stand and discover a way to freedom when we turn to the Lord for direction – He has our back.
