Thursday thoughts: Don't struggle alone with heavy loads

Posted

One of my least favorite things to do is to load and unload groceries. When you have seven people in your household, including four under the age of 13, you can have a lot of groceries and a ton of snacks in those bags.

Thankfully I have four “little” helpers to assist in unloading groceries. They like to pick what they think is the heaviest bag and prove how strong they are by being able to carry it into the house. Now, this can get a little scary when the six-year-old tries to handle two gallons of milk. We just pray she makes it to the kitchen and then someone always praises her for carrying such a heavy load and quickly removes the bags from her possession.

Lately, on several occasions, while talking to different people I have commented on how it seems so many people are carrying such heavy loads in their life. Not groceries, but heavy things they are dealing with. It might be sickness, job loss, taking care of a family member, relationships, or a ton of other things. There are people who are carrying such heavy emotional or mental issues that they or someone they love are dealing with.

I know in my life I have felt so burdened in the last few months for friends and family that I know are carrying so much as well as myself. Everything just feels so heavy.

I was thinking about the heavy loads and God spoke to my heart about several things concerning carrying these heavy loads. First of all, what I am carrying might not be heavy for someone else to pick up.

I think about my granddaughter and the two gallons of milk. Those are so heavy for her little six-year-old body but for me they would not be an issue at all. God allows me to carry a load for someone else that might be too heavy for them to keep carrying. He can allow me to assist with someone else’s load not only physically but emotionally. We all can.

If we are not there physically, we can be there to pray and offer moral support. That is one reason why it is so important when God places someone on your mind to stop, pray, and even call if at all possible.

I cannot tell you how much that will mean to someone who is going through a tough time. I know because I have been on the receiving end. It may be just what that person needs to continue carrying that heavy load.

Another thing I thought of was there are many “loads” in life that you need help carrying. I can’t move furniture by myself and I’m sure you can’t either. Some things are so heavy you will need two or more people to carry them. I believe that is why God provides us with family and friends.

But, you know what? You have to ask them to assist you. We, or maybe it’s just me, are so bad at asking for help. When things are too heavy to carry alone we must ask others to help us.

Have you ever tried to carry an object that was too heavy for you to carry alone but maybe you were too prideful to ask for help? I have and it usually doesn’t end well. You can drop the item, break the item, strain a muscle, put a hole in a wall, or just totally damage the item you are trying to carry.

We cannot carry heavy loads by ourselves!

We need each other, whether it be a family member, friend, or even someone God places in your path to assist you in carrying your load. We need each other.

I also thought about the fact when you have someone helping you carry a load you get to your destination a little faster. I am able to unload all the groceries by myself, but it goes so much faster if I have help. Walking with a heavy load is definitely not what you look forward to, but if you have help the walk doesn’t seem quite so long and painful. It seems you are able to unload all the heaviness so much faster with help.

I have also found that helping others carry their load makes mine seem not so heavy. In the Bible, Galatians 6:2 says “Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.” We show our love for Christ and for others by helping carry a heavy load, whether it be physically or emotionally. We show love as we come alongside others and comfort them when they are discouraged, point them to the truth when they are confused, protect them with prayer, and walk with them when they are broken and discouraged.

Isn’t that what Jesus does for us? He can carry all our heavy loads. He gives us the ability to come alongside others and offer a listening ear, a word of truth, a hug, a prayer, a helping hand, a shoulder to cry on, an encouraging word and in doing so we help someone else carry a heavy load.

These are hard days. Your load may be heavy and weighing you down. Let’s all look for ways we can help lighten someone’s load. Let’s pray for opportunities for God to use us to come alongside others to encourage, love, and care. Let’s try to be load lifters with the help of Jesus. It will make all the difference in the way they carry their load and the way we carry ours.

Oh, and by the way, if you need some load carriers to help with your groceries I have four girls I could recommend, just make sure you have lots of snacks in those bags!

__

Jill Johnson, a staff member at the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, finds spiritual applications in her everyday experiences as a wife, mother, grandmother and Georgian. Reach her at jjohnson@gabaptist.org.