A Prayer

Dear God,

It seems like a more people are having a hard time, and as your people our questions are, "How can I help? Should I help in this case? If so, how much?" Hard times are just a part of life, for not a day passes that we haven't dealt with a burden or a heartache of some kind. So, Lord, please teach us what to do with our burdens.

Galatians 6:5 tells us "each person should carry his own load." Sometimes it just seems appropriate with some burdens to shoulder them alone. Indeed, people can and do often ask for too much.

At the same time, that same chapter in Galatians (Galatians 6:2) says, "Carry each other's burdens, and this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Some burdens we should shoulder, and some burdens we should share. Some tasks our children and friends should do by themselves, and some tasks require our help. Lord, teach us to know the difference.

And then it seems like there are those burdens that You alone can lift. The scripture (Psalm 55:22) says, "Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you." Some burdens we shoulder. Some we share. Some we shift to the Lord.

So, God, in these increasingly difficult times, give us wisdom when to shoulder, share, or shift. God, also, grant us Your grace to draw appropriate Christ-honoring boundaries as we know that this issue of burdens isn't as simple as throwing ourselves into every request that comes our way, and help us not to hide behind that fact or to merely justify our lack of compassion.

You alone are righteous!

Your servant,

Ernest