I’m a burden carrier. Whether people ask me to or not (or even whether they need me to or not), I see their struggles, their stress, their unanswered questions and prayers, and I am Pilgrim; shoulders bent under the weight of all the burdens I am carrying.
And don’t get me started on the burdens that have my own name on them. The question marks looming in the future, the day to day stresses and struggles, the anxieties and insecurities constantly fighting their way to the surface.
In the Fellowship of the Ring, Gandalf tells Frodo that when Gollum first found the ring he was interested in growing things. He was forever hunched over, looking down at dirt and the roots of plants, trees, and mountains. He was so consumed that he forgot to look up. To appreciate the beauty; the mountains and plants, the sunlight streaming through the trees.
While this may seem like a forced or cheesy cliché, I find that I too often let the weight of all I’m carrying force my perspective downward. I am Gollum, crawling in the mud, forgetting to look up. And like Gollum, this need to hide in caves (to hold onto these burdens) seems to become synonymous with life itself. Will the world keep turning if I stop worrying? If I don’t carry these burdens, who will? I get bogged down, back sore, knuckles white, and I forget about the sun.
Is it any wonder, then, that the slightest things make me clench my fists or cry tears (for any number of reasons, really)? Why the bigger questions keep me awake at night or haunt my dreams?
Flipping through my notebook, I found this “I wonder how much of what weighs me down is not mine to carry”. Like seeing the sun for the first time in months, I was reminded of this scripture: “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.’” (Matthew 11:28-30 NLT)
These heavy burdens are not mine to carry because I can bring them to God in prayer. After all, He is the true burden bearer. Rather than carrying heavy weights for others, I should be interceding on their behalf (who else better knows what they need or is more capable of being their provider, healer, peace, etc.?). Rather than worrying myself sick over decisions, I should “be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let [my] requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard [my heart and mind] through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV)
We will have worries. We will have struggles. There will be burdens. But we don’t need to hold onto them. We don’t need to let them overwhelm us. We are not helpless or alone in the fight. We only need to surrender, to bring our burdens and lay them down at the feet of Jesus. And there, we will find rest for our very souls.
If you’re in need of some more encouragement, this is a current favorite song of mine.
whimsical impressions 
Nice to see you expressing yourself again. Aren’t we the blessed to know where to find our rest! Love you Colleen