The older I’m blessed to become, the more I aim to travel light.
Not just when packing for a trip (although I do). I mean intentionally choosing to carry what’s mine, and not everything the world places in front of me.
As someone whose primary Love Language is Acts of Service, the helper in me has always been quick to say yes, lighten others’ loads, and absorb tension to create peace. I learned that from my late parents, who modeled lives of kindness, thoughtfulness, and service.
But even good things require balance. It took me many years to realize that carrying too much, especially cares that were never mine, always costs something precious. Sometimes it’s time. Sometimes, health. Often, peace.
Last year’s extraordinary pressures became my classroom. They forced me to practice, truly practice, letting go of what I was never meant to carry so I could hold what mattered most for that season.
In the process, I found clarity and courage to say no, so I could say yes to what God had actually entrusted to me.
Now, instead of instinctively picking up every cause or request, I pause and ask myself:
Is this actually mine, or something God never asked me to carry?
More often than not, it’s the latter.
And I know I’m not alone.
For the ones weary from carrying far more than you were ever meant to bear, my prayer is simple.
May you pause long enough to notice all you’ve been carrying and gently ask God what’s never been yours to actually hold.
May you be released from the exhausting belief that you must always fix, rescue, or make everything okay . . . and instead trust God with what is beyond your control.
May you remember that love doesn’t require you to carry another person’s choices, emotions, healing, or growth. God alone is the Savior, the Healer, and the One who changes hearts.
And when you’re tempted to pick up another unnecessary burden, may you hear God’s gentle whisper: “Leave that with Me. I’ve got it.”
May today leave you a little lighter, confident that God is already carrying what you were never meant to hold. And along the way, may you extend as much grace and tenderness to yourself as you do toward others.
Amen.
Before you go, what has helped you learn to travel a little lighter? 🤎
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