Introduction:
We live in a world where burdens seem inevitable — financial struggles, health issues, relational conflicts, internal fears. Yet an important question echoes in the heart of every weary traveler:
Am I carrying more than God ever intended for me to bear?
Jesus’ words bring light to this heavy question:
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me… For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
(Matthew 11:28–30 ESV)
Clearly, not all burdens are ours to carry alone. Some burdens we were never meant to carry at all. Let’s dig deeper.
1. There Are Burdens God Asks Us to Carry
Not every burden is bad. Some are assigned by God for our growth and His glory.
- The Burden of Love:
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)
We are called to carry the weight of each other’s pain with compassion, not condemnation. - The Burden of Obedience:
Carrying the cross daily — dying to self, living to Christ.
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23) - The Burden of Responsibility:
Parents, leaders, workers, stewards of God’s gifts — some responsibilities are God-ordained and come with a natural weight.
“Each will have to bear his own load.” (Galatians 6:5)
These burdens are sanctifying, not crushing.
They are meant to be carried with God, not without Him.
2. There Are Burdens God Never Asked Us to Carry
Many of the heaviest loads we drag along were never placed on us by God:
- The Burden of Unforgiveness:
Clinging to bitterness only chains the soul.
“Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7) - The Burden of Self-Sufficiency:
Believing it all depends on us.
“Apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) - The Burden of Fear and Worry:
Being anxious about things beyond our control.
“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow…” (Matthew 6:34) - The Burden of Performance and People-Pleasing:
Living for applause instead of for God’s approval.
“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God?” (Galatians 1:10) - The Burden of Guilt and Shame Already Forgiven:
When Jesus has already washed it away, why keep carrying it?
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)
3. Sheep, Not Oxen: What We Were Created To Be
Jesus often calls us sheep — not oxen, donkeys, or goats.
- Sheep are not beasts of burden.
- Sheep are not built for heavy loads.
- Sheep are made to follow the Shepherd.
“Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.”
(Psalm 100:3)
When we try to carry more than we were made to carry, we collapse under the weight. Our Shepherd guides, guards, and carries His sheep. He does not load them down like pack animals.
4. The Yoke of Christ: Working Together With Him
Jesus invites the weary not to be burden-free but to be yoked together with Him.
In ancient times, a yoke connected two animals to plow a field together. A stronger, experienced ox was yoked with a younger, weaker one — allowing the younger to be trained while the stronger carried most of the burden.
When Jesus says, “Take my yoke upon you,” He is saying:
- Work with Me, not without Me.
- Let Me carry the load with you — and for you.
- Let Me set the pace.
This is not a call to strive harder.
This is a call to stay close to the Shepherd and learn the unforced rhythms of grace.
“For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
(Matthew 11:30)
5. How to Know When You’re Carrying the Wrong Load
Ask yourself:
- Is this burden producing love, joy, peace, patience?
(Fruit of the Spirit — Galatians 5:22–23) - Is this burden something Jesus has clearly commanded me to carry?
- Am I trying to carry it alone, in my own strength?
- Is it drawing me closer to God — or further away?
When burdens become crushing instead of shaping, it’s a sign that something needs to be surrendered.
6. Jesus — Our Burden-Bearer
Ultimately, we must remember: Jesus carried the heaviest burden — the burden of our sin, guilt, and shame — all the way to the cross.
“Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows…”
(Isaiah 53:4)
There is no burden so great that His shoulders cannot bear it.
There is no sorrow so deep that His love cannot reach it.
You are not called to carry what He already carried for you.
Conclusion: What Are You Carrying?
You may be carrying a heavy load today. Some of it may be your God-given calling. Some of it may be weights you were never meant to bear.
Take a moment to pause.
Grab a piece of paper or open the notes app on your phone.
Make two simple lists:
- Burdens I believe God has called me to carry.
- Burdens I may be carrying that He never asked me to.
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you honestly sort them out.
You might be surprised at how much weight you can lay down at Jesus’ feet today.
“Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you.”
(Psalm 55:22)
Remember:
- You are not an ox made for heavy labor.
- You are not a donkey destined to be overloaded.
- You are not a goat wandering far from the Shepherd.
You are a sheep.
You have a Shepherd.
You are made for His pasture — not for the crushing weight of burdens He never asked you to carry.
The Good Shepherd is strong enough to carry you.
And He is tender enough to want to.
Closing Prayer:
Lord, show me what to lay down. Strengthen me to carry what You entrust to me.
Yoke me to Yourself so that I walk at Your pace, under Your grace, and in Your rest.
Amen.