I’ve had some things come up with a couple friends lately that makes me feel like I should remind people of some important things on burdens, problems, worries, and struggles in our lives.
It’s not just okay to share your worries and struggles, it’s actually very good. God designed us to need Him and to need each other, so sharing our burdens with God and each other is literally how things were built to work.
Sharing your struggles with others and letting them share struggles with you reminds you each that you’re not alone. You’ll even find people with the same struggles, and each of you might have a different piece of comfort to share. You might even find the solution together.
While some burdens might be only yours to bear, sometimes you think that about burdens that you really should be seeking help for. If a burden truly is only yours to bear, that doesn’t mean that you can’t talk to people about it. Sometimes just “complaining” for a moment about how heavy something is can make you feel better, sort of like carefully letting off the pressure of a shaken soft drink bottle so it doesn’t explode on everyone when you open it all the way. There’s something helpful and therapeutic about just talking to someone.
Having problems and burdens does not make you yourself the problem or burden. Needing help doesn’t make you a burden, it makes you a normal human.
Remember, God is here for you (1 Peter 5:6-7).
Related:
Carrying Burdens
Sharing the Load
Good Friends