Burden Sharing

Last updated on January 20, 2023

You don’t have to be at a complete loss before we share the load.

In fact, sharing it all along the way makes the whole thing more carry-able and joyful.

Ah but those bootstraps…

We love those bootstraps, don’t we? Where does that expression come from anyway? Have you ever actually tried to pick yourself up by your shoelaces? It doesn’t work. At all. Why do we do that?

We were never designed to go it alone. Yes, we have loads to bear that no one can bear but us, but burdens…when the load becomes too heavy…are meant to be shared.

How do I know this is how we were designed? Because God, himself, doesn’t bear his burdens alone. The Father, Son, and Spirit bear together. Yes, Jesus had a burden to bear when he came to be a man, like us, with us and bore our sins in sacrifice. But all along his way, His Father and His Spirit were with him. He shared every moment of it all with them. Until, by nature of his load, God had to turn his face away from the sin in the most devestating moment in the redemption story.

But remember, because he bore that, we will never have to bear that abandonment if we accept the gift of salvation he offers by his blood.

Blows my mind.

Anyway, back to bootstraps.

Why do we try to hold all our burdens on our own? I can’t speak for you, because I am not you. But I do think there are some common reasons why we do this. And I know because I do it.

Shame

I bear more alone when it would go better sharing it with someone else because I feel like I should be able to do or be something that I can not, or am not. I believe if I try harder I’ll get there. And once I get there, then people will think I can hold it all together. They’ll see how capable I am

Wow. Self-exaltation much?

Then there’s the flip side. If I own up to what I’m not able to do, what I need others to help me do…then I am weak. I am vulnerable. I give them an opportunity to betray or hurt me. And I show them and myself that I’m not capable of what I wanted to be capable of. I’m not as great as I wanted to be.

Wow. See my fancy throne I like to believe I sit on?

Humbling. I don’t like to be humbled. So instead I will fight the designed order of burden-sharing to avoid it.

And that’s one of the reasons I need Jesus. Because he keeps loving me even when I fight. And He keeps forgiving me (has already forgiven me, actually) whenever I realize what I’m doing and I humble myself under his design and his way. And he gives rich grace and generous mercy and the benefit of the doubt. And he accepts me as I am.

Even in progress. Especially then. Not that there’s any degree change of his acceptance. I am always, ALWAYS, accepted.

And so are you. As you are. While you and I both battle with whether we want his way or our own.

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ. For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him.

Ephesians 1:3‭-‬4 CSB

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.
Romans 8:1‭-‬2 CSB

Romans 8:1-2 CSB

Do not be ashamed. Leave the bootstraps behind for the better way of humility and community to share your burdens. We truly are all in this life together. In the genuine family of Christ, you will find all you need and more.