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Burdens to Bear, Burdens to Share

We all have burdens in our lives. However, not all of us have the same burdens. When we have burdens, how do we handle them? Do we handle them according to God’s Word or do we find ourselves complaining and looking for a way to escape?

What does burden mean? A burden is a heaviness of heart, spirit, and soul--- something that weighs us down emotionally, mentally, or spiritually. It can mean something carried.

There are two types of burdens we face. Burdens we can 

share and burdens we must bear.

Galatians 6:2 - Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. This type of burden can be shared and includes tensions, stress, anxiety, and grief. We can also share our faults with others. We are told in James 5:16 - Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another…. We confess our sins to God for forgiveness and we can confess our faults to one another.

Galatians 6:5 - For every man shall bear his own burden. There are some burdens that we must bear. Examples of these would be suffering, when we are sick we must suffer alone. As much as our loved ones would like to share, they cannot. Another burden we must share alone is death. Hebrews 9:27 - And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

We must walk that lonesome valley alone.

The third and last burden we can’t share is the “Judgment Seat of Christ.”  This is for believers. We must stand before Christ alone to give an account of ourselves to Him. Romans 14:12 - So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

There is another burden that we cannot bear or share and that is the burden of sin. Psalm 38:4 - For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me. 

There is only one place to get rid of the burden of sin and that is at the cross of Christ. 

Matthew 11:28 - Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.