You're Not a Burden - You Have a Burden

Sometimes, all the responsibilities we have in life gets to be a little too much for us to handle. Perhaps you’re dealing with an ailing spouse, parent or child. You’re that person’s main caretaker. On top of that, you’re trying to care for the rest of your family. And hold down a job. And keep up with housework, feeding your family, and paying the bills.

You’re drained – physically and emotionally – and just feel you can’t do it all.

Then someone comes up to you and asks, “Is there anything I can do to help?”

You pause for a brief moment, and then tell the person, “No, but thank you for asking.”

Sometimes it’s pride. But often times it’s just a feeling that we’re a burden to others. Or, rather, that if we ask for help, we’ll be burdening that other person.

We don’t want to say “Yeah, can you watch my kids for a few hours?” or “Do you want to help me clean? Or “I could really use a night where I don’t have to cook.” We know the other person has a job, family, and responsibilities of their own. It’s not fair to ask them to help. It’s not right to push our responsibilities onto someone else. 

Or so we think. We think that we’re just adding more burden to that person. We don’t stop to consider that maybe, just maybe, God has answered our pleas for help – that God has perhaps sent this person to be that answer. And, as that sent answer, God is giving his strength to that person to ensure that person is able to handle the extra responsibility.

Today’s Lenten sacrifice:

Stop assuming you’re a burden.

Be accepting of help offered to you, trusting that this help is coming from our Lord, through the love and kindness of others, and knowing that someday, God may call on your to be the answer to someone else’ prayer.