You Never Have to Carry the Weight Alone

When I was a child, I would spend hours at the library, reading the fabled Greek/Roman myths. One of my favorite fictional stories concerned the Titan Atlas. In Greek and Roman mythology, Atlas was responsible for bearing the weight of the heavens on his shoulders, a burden given to him as punishment by the mythical king of the gods, Zeus/Jupiter. Though this is fiction, many of us in reality, in our families and on our jobs, feel like Atlas, like we bear the weight of the heavens and earth as a result of our responsibilities and duties.

My friends, you do not have to carry the weight alone, nor do you have to experience depression or fear of failure because you are overburdened. The Word of God lovingly proclaims, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7). You see, when you belong to the Father God and His son, the Lord Jesus Christ, you never have to carry all of your stresses and burdens alone. The other great thing about trusting the Lord, is that when you belong to Him, He gives you clarity of thought and He will direct you to the right resources and people to help you in every area of your life.

If you are feeling overwhelmed, ask the Lord to help you set aside any pride that may prevent you from receiving help from others. You do not have to be Superwoman. Resist the devil’s lies that make you feel alone. Remember, God has affirmed in His Word, “The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” (Psalm 118:6 NIV). Let Him share the load!

Lastly, are you in a position where you can share someone else’s load? Because Jesus no longer walks in the earth realm, His followers are His body on earth. (Are you a follower of Jesus?) So dear friend, assess the people in your life. The single mom and dad. The struggling student. The widow. The latchkey child. The elderly who live alone. The adult who has just surrendered their life to the Lord. Ask God how you can be a resource to them. Perhaps you can babysit, cut the grass, fix a leaky faucet, perform an oil change or go to the grocery store. Look for ways to assist in carrying the load of your brother and sister. Sometimes as we help carry someone else’s burden, our burdens get lighter.