When the Weight of Life Becomes Too Heavy to Carry
By Pastor Brett Nation
This past week, I began to feel anxious.
Not in a dramatic way—but in a quiet, accumulating way. The weight of life started pressing in on me. I felt the responsibility of an upcoming family gathering and the hope that it would be meaningful and joyful. I felt the needs of the church. I felt the call to care for people and foster healthy relationships. I felt the reality of being a dad to grown children and a faithful husband to my wife.
In short, I was feeling life.
But I wasn’t carrying it in a healthy way.
Creating Space to Hear God
I realized I needed perspective, so I made a simple but intentional decision: I turned off what I could. I completely shut off my cell phone for several days. I let the right people know how to reach me in an emergency and had Dena help with a few logistics.
One morning, as I sat quietly in my chair with my eyes closed, I felt the anxiety of disconnecting. But in that stillness, the Holy Spirit gently met me. He brought a familiar Scripture to my heart:
“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”
—1 Peter 5:7 (NLT)
As I reflected on that truth, peace began to replace pressure. My thoughts cleared, and God started showing me what I had been carrying—and what He never intended for me to carry alone.
As your pastor, I want to share what this moment meant to me, because I believe it can help you as well.
The Cares of This World
We live in a world filled with concerns, responsibilities, and pressures. While we cannot avoid the world, we can choose who carries our worries.
Jesus spoke clearly about the danger of unmanaged anxiety:
“The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity.”
—Luke 8:14 (NLT)
We can hear God’s Word, yet allow the cares of life to drown it out. When that happens, we don’t live by truth—we live by worry.
The cares of this world seek to own us. They distract us from trusting God and living in His peace.
Jesus also warned:
“Watch out! Don’t let your hearts be dulled… by the worries of this life.”
—Luke 21:34 (NLT)
The word dulled can also mean burdened or under pressure. Anxiety slowly presses on us until we lose spiritual clarity.
Even the Apostle Paul understood this weight:
“I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches.”
—2 Corinthians 11:28 (NLT)
Pressure is part of life—but God never intended for us to carry it alone.
Casting Your Care on the Lord
Scripture gives us a clear invitation:
“Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you.”
—Psalm 55:22 (NLT)
As I listened to the Holy Spirit, I realized something important: I had been carrying all the responsibility for success or failure—at home, at church, and in relationships. I felt the pressure to fix problems, manage outcomes, and prove faithfulness.
In doing so, I lost sight of who God created me to be.
That mindset affected:
How I made decisions
How I managed my time
How I prayed
How I rested
How I evaluated myself
My calling slowly turned into performance.
And performance always produces anxiety.
Renewal, Not More Effort
So how do we truly give our worries, concerns, and pressure to God?
For me, it wasn’t about adding more steps—it was about renewing my mind.
“Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.”
—Romans 12:2 (NLT)
I needed to give God my body—my worries about my children, the pressure of leadership, the fear of making wrong decisions, and even the anxiety of trying to please Him.
I had to stop living by the standards of the world and return to the truth of who God is and who I am in Him.
God was not evaluating my performance. He was loving His child.
“See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children—and that is what we are!”
—1 John 3:1 (NLT)
A Simple Prayer of Surrender
I also realized I needed to release the expectations and opinions others had placed on me. If I didn’t, those voices would begin to direct my life instead of God.
There is a simple statement I once heard that captures true surrender:
“I give everything and everyone to You, God.”
That prayer shifts the weight of life back where it belongs—not on our shoulders, but in His hands.
If you are carrying anxiety today, know this: God cares deeply for you. You were never meant to carry life alone.