Do Not Overwhelm Loved Ones

“He would not let me catch my breath but would overwhelm me with misery.” Job 9:18 

  

  In the early years of my affliction, when I was completely overwhelmed at the downturn in my health, I laid too much of that burden upon my wife and other family members. Sometimes we become so laser focused on our affliction, we fail to understand that not only are we overwhelmed, we are overwhelming those around us also. 

  I have to frequently remind myself that if my burden is too much for me to bear, it is certainly too much for others to bear. I must take my heavy burden before the Lord, ask for His help, and not try to lift more than I can carry at one time. 

  I heard a story once about someone standing beside God, watching as God kept laying a heavier and heavier load upon people who could barely stand beneath the burden. The person asked God, “Why do you lay even more upon their shoulders when they are already sinking beneath the load?” 

  God then tells the person, “It is when they can no longer lift the heavy burden that they will turn and ask Me for help.” 

  There is nothing wrong with taking our needs to our brothers and sisters, to our friends and family members. But what I try to do is be selective. I do not go through the alphabet of every ache and pain, every symptom of my illness, every aspect of my affliction. 

  I tell people what I most need. I tell them at most a couple of things that are of primary importance to pray for, or help me with. I avoid the “laundry list” of my illness. 

  Often when I pray, I sense God wants to know the single thing that is most important to me, the one thing I am most concerned about. I believe if we tackle the worst problem, we can then move on to deal with the other lesser issues. 

  When it comes to those around us, we should share our struggles, and as scripture says, carry each other’s burdens (Galatians 6:2). But let us not overwhelm those who want to help us by expecting them to carry each and every burden in our lives. 

  Prayer: Dear Lord, help me with the one big issue I have today. Amen.