A Heavy Burden

1 Corinthians 6:11, 1 Peter 5:7, Proverbs 3:5-6, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Esther 4:14

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You’ve been carrying a lot, and it’s pretty heavy. Trying to be strong for everyone and everything, trying to figure out what to do next, how to work this all out, and feeling like if you don’t do it, if you don’t make it happen, everything is going to fall apart. Oh, and on top of that, you’re struggling with your own inner wrestlings, with your own failings, your own sin, your shame, and your guilt. You’ve been carrying a lot, but do you have to?

Do you have to carry all of this?

What does God say? Does God say that’s on you, that’s your burden? He doesn’t. I mean, think about 1 Corinthians 6:11.

It says,

And some of you were those types of people. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:11)

Did you notice how it says, “And some of you were those type of people”? Yes, we were stuck in our sin, our guilt, and our shame, but that’s not who you are. You were washed. Jesus took your sin on himself. He absorbed it. He paid for it. As far as God’s concerned, it all died there with Jesus. And when you think about that perfect life of Christ, how he rose again to new resurrection life, you now, as someone who is baptized into Christ, have been clothed with Christ. God sees you through that perfect life of Christ. You are clean. You are washed. There’s no shame for you to carry. There’s no guilt for you to hold on to. There’s no need to beat yourself up. You have forever life with God and a new life with him even today, so you don’t need to carry guilt or shame. And when you think about all the things going on in your life, do you need to carry that? 1 Peter 5:7 says,

Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. [1 Peter 5:7]

You don’t need to carry what’s all going on in your life and your world. He says cast it on Him. Put it on Him. He will carry it. Trying to figure all those things out, that weight of, “Okay, how is this going to work?” Proverbs 3:5-6,

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight. [Proverbs 3:5-6]

When you’re trying to be strong for everyone and everything, remember 2 Corinthians 12:9,

And he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, because my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will be glad to boast all the more in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may shelter me. [2 Corinthians 12:9]

You don’t need to be strong for everyone. Actually, in your weakness is when you really experience God’s strength. And what about that feeling of, “Okay, so many people are depending on me. If I don’t do it, if I fail, then it all falls apart”? One of the things I love about the account of Esther in the Book of Esther is that she is told,

If at this time you keep totally silent, relief and deliverance for the Jews will spring up from somewhere, but you and the house of your father will perish. Who knows whether you have become queen for a time like this! [Esther 4:14]

Now, there’s some significant things if she doesn’t step up. He says you and your father will perish, so that’s… is weighty. But notice it started off by saying, “If at this time you keep totally silent, relief and deliverance for the Jews will spring up from somewhere.” So even if she didn’t step up, God would still carry out his plan. He would still rescue his people. He would still move things forward for bringing a savior. He didn’t depend on Esther, but he did invite Esther to be part of what he was doing.

God never asked us to be God. He actually just invites us to trust him and be part of what he is doing. It’s not on you to make sure all of this works. That’s always on God. He just invites you to be part of the work he’s doing. So what are you carrying today? Think about what you’re carrying. Think about what is heavy on your shoulders, on your mind, on your heart, and ask yourself, ask God, look to his Word, “Do I really need to carry all that?”