Dealing with Burdens: Finding Strength in Christ

“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

— Matthew 26:41

Every person carries burdens. Some are obvious—illness, financial struggles, or family trials. Others are hidden deep in the heart—guilt, anxiety, or temptation. Scripture teaches us that while some burdens are ours alone to bear, others can and should be shared, and still others must be handed over to God. Knowing the difference is essential for living a faithful life.

1. The Burden Only You Can Carry

Paul wrote, “For every man shall bear his own burden” (Galatians 6:5). The word here means a personal responsibility. No one can obey the gospel for you. Each person must believe, repent, confess Christ, and be baptized for themselves. Beyond salvation, no one can worship, study, or serve God in your place. At the judgment, “everyone of us shall give account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12). These are burdens no one else can carry for us.

2. The Burden We Can Help Others Carry

At the same time, Scripture also says, “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). This refers to the heavy weights of temptation, sin, or suffering. When a brother or sister in Christ falls into sin, the faithful are called to restore them gently, with humility and self-control (Galatians 6:1).

Beyond sin, we share in the everyday hardships of life—illness, grief, and loss. Paul reminds us to “rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep” (Romans 12:15). Bearing one another’s burdens is love in action, reflecting the heart of Jesus who came not to be served but to serve.

3. The Burden Only God Can Carry

Some burdens are simply too heavy for us or anyone else to bear. These must be laid at the feet of God. Peter exhorts us: “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7). This includes the anxieties, unanswered questions, and deep wounds of life that no friend, spouse, or church family can fix.

Paul knew this truth when he pleaded with God to remove his “thorn in the flesh.” God’s answer was not removal, but grace: “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). God may not always change our circumstances, but He promises strength to endure.

Living with Hope

When we understand these truths, we can approach burdens with balance:

• Accept your personal responsibility in obeying and serving God.

• Support one another in love when sin or suffering weighs someone down.

• Surrender your deepest cares to God, knowing His strength is greater than your weakness.

Jesus summarized it well: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).

The world is full of burdens. But Christ has shown us the way to carry them.