THE WEIGHT WE CARRY!

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” —1 Peter 5:6-7

Hmmmmmm, the weight we carry! Winston Churchill once said "When I look back on all these worries, I remember the story of the old man who said on his deathbed that he had a lot of trouble in his life, most of which had never happened." 

Life often feels like a heavy load. We carry the weight of responsibilities, expectations, fears, and uncertainties. We worry about the future, our families, our finances, and our health. This burden can feel so overwhelming, destabilising and derailing. Fear seems to be winning and has disabled many of us. Our days and nights are spent consumed with anxiety. We worry about the troublesome implications of past decisions. We worry about the uncertain possibilities of our future. All together, these result in our inability to move forward in the present. We can spend the whole journey of life riddled with anxiety because of the many things that are out of our control. 

But God never intended for us to carry it alone. Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:6, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” This verse isn’t just a suggestion—it’s a command from a Father who knows our limits. He not only invites us to lay our worries at His feet and trust Him to provide, guide, and sustain us; He invites us to a different way of living—one marked not by fear, but by trust as our text in 1 Peter 5:6-7 advises.

"Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God…” True humility begins with recognising that we are not in control—but God is. When we humble ourselves before Him, we acknowledge His sovereignty over our past, present, and future. We stop trying to carry burdens we were never meant to bear and instead surrender them to the One who holds all things together. 

The promise of God’s care is loud and true. He doesn’t just command us to cast our cares on Him—He reminds us why we can: "...for He cares for you." His love is not passive; it is active, attentive, unwavering and assured. He knows and sees every anxious thought, every sleepless night, and every weight we carry. And He invites us to release them into His hands. 



Instead of allowing worry to paralyse us, let us chose to trust this God. Let us believe that the same God who holds the universe also holds our tomorrow. Surrender isn’t resignation—it’s an act of faith. It’s trading our fear for His peace, our weakness for His strength. When we surrender our burdens to God, we don’t just lighten our load; we exchange it for His peace. Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” His yoke is easy, and His burden is light.

Let’s take a step toward freedom. When anxiety whispers, let’s answer with truth: "God, I trust You." When the weight feels too heavy, let’s lay it down in prayer. And as we do, we’ll find that His mighty hand is not only strong enough to sustain us—but also gentle enough to lift us up in due time. 

Ask yourself these questions: 

• What worry have I been holding onto that I need to surrender to God today? 

• How can I remind myself of His care when anxiety rises? 

Today, take a moment to release your anxieties to God. Pray, trust, and walk in the freedom He offers. The weight you carry isn’t meant to be yours alone—give it to the One who cares for you.

Stay blessed,

Pastor Ranti Orioke