Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2)
My grandmother shared a lot of wisdom with me while I was growing up. I can still hear many of her favorite sayings as I go about my day. One that returned to help while our son was serving in the military: A burden shared is a burden halved.
I always agreed with this premise—as long as it pertained to someone else. I loved pitching in and helping out. But I did not like asking for help. I always had what I thought of as an independent spirit–something I’ve come to realize is just another way of saying I’m too proud to ask for help.
When our son chose to enlist, it didn’t take me long to discover this wasn’t something I could handle on my own. First of all, we didn’t come from a military family, so I needed help just navigating this new paradigm. Second, I wanted as many people as possible praying for my son, and for those he was serving with. Thirdly, my emotions were a maelstrom of unexpected feelings.
I knew I was in over my head, and if I didn’t search people out who could help, I was probably going to drown. So I began going against my natural inclination and asking, or at least answering honestly, if someone asked me how they could help.
It wasn’t easy at first, but it was so worth the effort. As I began asking specific questions and requesting prayer, something unexpected happened. I found a peace that I hadn’t imagined. The burden that almost brought me to my knees was now so much lighter because I had others around to help me carry it.
