Memories of past burdens carried. Need for release.
Have you been carrying something heavy for so long that you’ve almost forgotten what it feels like to set it down? Maybe it’s worry about a child who’s struggling. Maybe it’s regret over something you said or didn’t say decades ago. Maybe it’s the weight of watching your body slow down, knowing you can’t do what you once did.
Some burdens we carry for years become so familiar we don’t even realize we’re still holding them.
Story
A visit to Thomas on a Thursday afternoon. He sat in his chair, hands gripping the armrests, jaw tight. When I asked how he was doing, he said, “Fine,” but his eyes told a different story.
After a while, he finally spoke. “Chaplain, I’ve been carrying guilt for forty years. My brother and I had a fight before he died. I never got to say I was sorry.” His voice cracked. “I’ve prayed about it a thousand times, but I can’t seem to let it go.”
I asked him, “Have you asked God to forgive you?”
“Every day,” he said.
“And do you believe He has?”
He paused. “I guess… I know He has. But I haven’t forgiven myself.”
Reflection
That’s the thing about burdens. Sometimes we hold onto them even after God has taken them. We’ve carried them so long, we don’t know who we’d be without them.
Looking back over your life, you’ve carried many burdens. Some you’ve laid down. Some you’re still holding. But here’s the truth: God never asked you to carry them alone. He never asked you to carry them at all.
Scripture
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” — Matthew 11:28-29
Biblical Insight
Jesus doesn’t say, “Come to me when you’ve figured it out.” He doesn’t say, “Come to me when you’re strong enough.” He says, “Come to me when you’re weary and burdened.”
He invites us to bring the weight we’re carrying—not after we’ve dealt with it on our own, but right now, in the middle of it.
And notice what He promises: rest. Not a harder burden. Not a new set of instructions. Rest.
The word “rest” here doesn’t just mean sleep. It means relief. Release. The kind of deep exhale that comes when something heavy is finally lifted off your shoulders.
Wisdom
“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.” – Corrie ten Boom[1]
“God never said the journey would be easy, but He did say the arrival would be worthwhile.” – Max Lucado[2]
Key Truths
- 🎒 You were never meant to carry your burdens alone
- ✋ God doesn’t just help you carry them—He takes them from you
- 🕊️ Letting go isn’t giving up—it’s trusting God more than your need for control
Reflection Question
Is there a burden you’ve been carrying for years that you’re afraid to release? What would it feel like to finally set it down at Jesus’ feet?
Prayer
Lord, I’m tired of carrying this weight. I’ve held it for so long I don’t even know how to put it down. But today, I choose to bring it to You. I lay it at Your feet—my guilt, my worry, my regret, my fear. Take it from me. Teach me what it feels like to walk lighter. Give me the courage to trust that You can handle what I cannot. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Personal Practice
Write down one burden you’ve been carrying on a piece of paper. Hold it in your hands and pray over it. Then, as a physical act of release, tear it up or place it in a drawer as a symbol of leaving it with God.
Suggested Music
Hymn: “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” — All our sins and griefs to bear
Contemporary: “Lay It All Down” by Will Reagan — At the foot of the cross, I lay every burden down
Footnotes
[1] Corrie ten Boom, Clippings from My Notebook (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), 53.
[2] Max Lucado, Traveling Light: Releasing the Burdens You Were Never Intended to Bear (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2001), 176.