Burden Bearing: When Too Much is Too Much

Homeschoolers have big hearts, but homeschoolers are not the saviors of the world.

While there are elements of the world we desire to hold at bay until our children are ready to hear about them, we also want to scoop up the hurting parts of the world and kiss the boo-boos.

Some Boo-Boos are Beyond Us

But some boo-boos are beyond us. Some are deeper than our hearts, our heads, or our hands can repair. Some are wider in scope than we can imagine. Some are self-inflicted, and the wounded aren’t ready for healing. Some are stronger than our arms can carry. Some are more wicked than we want our children, while they are yet children, exposed to.

Does that mean we should turn our backs on those in need?

No, not at all.

I cannot imagine where I would be, if God’s people hadn’t turned their hearts, their hands in my direction.

That’s not to say they carried all my wounds, all my worries, all my challenges, and all my heartache.

There were times I felt rejected, alone, bruised, wounded (and all those other adjectives I could look up in the thesaurus but won’t).

And in those times, I doubted God was with me because His people had seemingly turned their attention elsewhere and left me to fight muddy battles, to all appearances, alone.

But I wasn’t alone.

God was always with me. And so were a sprinkling of people who lifted my arms, stayed in touch, offered their love, and prayed for me.

In their limitations, they carried what they could. And, by God’s grace, it was enough.

Determining Our Burdens to Bear

Life hands us all a multitude of burdens. Some are ours to bear, some are ours to share, some are ours to lift for others so they can catch their breath. And all that can get mighty overwhelming.

When our hearts are overwhelmed, when we are staggering under the burdens, He welcomes us.

He doesn’t wait for our “everything” to get in order, He wants to walk with us in the midst of our seasons when “nothing is in order”.

From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.     [Psalm 61:2 NKJV]

One of our – many – tasks is determining which burdens we:

• must carry.
• should carry.
• can carry.
• need not carry.
• are best carried to God in prayer.
• need to run from like the plague.

Burdens Beyond – and Within – the Cottage Walls

That list isn’t referring solely to burdens borne beyond the cottage walls, but those inside the home, as well. Our families, our very, very loved ones are also bearing burdens.

When we feel overwhelmed with burdens, outside and in, we have the privilege to – and should teach our children to:

• Run to the Rock.
• Ask Him which ones are truly ours to carry.

We May Need to Carry Less

He may be asking us to carry less than we think we can. If we really could carry them all, would we feel overwhelmed?

We May Need to Carry More

Or He may ask us to carry more than we think we can, with His strength, with His grace, with His power.

We May Need to Trade Them In

Or He may ask us to trade in burdens we can’t control for ones we can influence.

God is our rock, our salvation.

“In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God.” [Psalm 62:7 NKJV]

He wants to be their Rock, too.

We can point the way, we can offer a taste of His goodness, but truly, we aren’t the saviors in our homes or out of them. We are only chips off the ol’ Ancient of Days rock.

P.S. The Lesson Continues Beyond Homeschooling

While in the process of editing this post for clarity, news came that shook my world once again. And then more news. And now some waiting for news on both shores.

The good news is we are never left to bear our burdens alone.

He will never leave us nor forsake us, even post-homeschooling when creation of artistic life, dissections of owl life and decay of apple life (mummy, anyone?) are replaced with a seldom-disturbed tablecloth and a centerpiece of still life on the dining room table.