Soul Care - Momco 1/18/24

Burdens: How they weigh down or lift the soul

Matthew 11:28–30 NLT

28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

We’re going to talk about an important aspect of soul-care: burdens

You may think of “burden” as something negative, but it all depends on what kind of burden it is

Jesus’ words teach us that a burden is not necessarily bad - in fact it can be good

It’s not about the work load level - it’s about the fit

An invigorating purpose is still a lot of work - but we don’t feel weighed down by it

The Right and Wrong Burdens

The wrong burdens discourage and crush you

A wrong burden is a burden that is not yours to carry

The right burdens invigorates and motivate you

A right burden is a burden that is yours to carry

The pastors question:

What things am I doing that don’t need to be done?

What things need to be done, but don’t need me to do them?

What things need to be done, that only I can do?

Examples:

Right: My kids readiness for life

Wrong: My kids life choices

Right: Making wise choices for my family

Wrong: Making sure nothing ever goes wrong

Right: Being present, loving, and available to my kids

Wrong: Making sure my kids are always happy and never struggle emotionally

Right: Communicating and listening well with friends, church members, coworkers

Wrong: Figuring out what people aren’t telling me / secret offenses / uncommunicated needs

Group Questions

What burdens are you carrying, that aren’t yours to carry?

What things are you doing for your family, that they don't need you to do?

What are the things that your family needs, that truly only you can do for them?