Not Yours to Carry

Hebrews 12:1 says, Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.

I was thinking about this verse over the weekend while reflecting on the previous week.

We all know that sin will weigh us down. Sin will prevent the blessing of God from coming into our lives. That is not news to any of us. Whether that sin is the sin of murder or the sin of unforgiveness or pride, either way, that sin will hinder the blessing of God in our lives.

But that is not the part of this scripture God talked to me about that day. He was, instead, illuminating the weight that easily besets us.

To beset is defined in Webster’s 1828 Dictionary as; To surround; to enclose; to hem in; to besiege; To press on all sides, so as to perplex; to entangle, so as to render escape difficult or impossible.

There was a particular weight God was dealing with me about that day. One that was undoubtedly pressing on all sides, entangling and hemming me in.

What weight was that?

It was the weight of taking other people’s problems as my own.

I am a fixer, and it is hard to change that some days. If someone, especially someone I love, comes to me with a problem, if I can fix it, I want to fix it.

However, on this day, God was showing me that I was taking other people’s problems as my own, hindering me from running the race I was to run.

I was reminded of a conversation from a couple of weeks ago.

A friend called me on the phone, and we talked briefly. Then she felt led to pray for me. She prayed for a false sense of responsibility to be broken off my life.

Since that prayer, God has been showing me things I take on myself, that I shouldn’t. False responsibility. I do it out of love and concern, but still, it is a weight that is slowing me down and causing me to be exhausted.

Of course, there are many responsibilities we can’t avoid. Caring for our children and taking care of a sick loved one. There are some responsibilities that though they may weary us, they are ours to take, at least for a season.

However, I am finding that there are many weights I take on that I shouldn’t. I am choosing to stop this. It is not easy for me. I must talk to myself whenever I want to jump in and fix something – I remind myself it is not mine to fix. Instead, I pray for them. Then, if God tells me to do something, I do it. But if not, I refuse its weight. I can’t begin to tell you how freeing this is!

In Matthew 11, Jesus said, Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me. For I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.

Jesus said, take MY yoke upon you. His yoke is easy and light. On the other hand, if you choose to take the yoke of others upon you, it won’t be easy or light. It will be a heavy. Today, I want to encourage you – don’t allow the weight of others to come on you. Take their problems to God, ask for His wisdom, and obey His leading. The weight of the world does not belong to you – you were never meant to carry it. Put it at the feet of Jesus and leave it there – He is well able to handle it. Trust Him.