“Load management” is a term that’s become quite popular in many sports at all levels. How much stress can and should one handle? How much wood should one chop? How much water should one carry? What’s a good load?

I learned something about load management when I was in college. Over the span of those four summers, I carried lots of loads — 5-6 days a week. 

First I worked as a garbage man in my community, lifting countless cans personally. Then I worked in commercial construction. My primary job was loading, moving and unloading thousands of heavy planks and hundreds of scaffolding frames from one job site to another weekly. 

All of it was everyone else’s stuff. I learned a lot about loads then, but I’ve discovered even more since.

Following are five super valuable things about load management I’ve learned from God’s Word:

BEAR ANOTHER’S LOAD (Galatians 6:2). Seek another’s load. Don’t just worry about yours,  lighten the load of others. Just like Jesus did. Strangely, when you do, your load seems to get lighter.

There is greater reward and more refreshment, honor and power in pursuing this than we can possibly imagine. This is a law written into the universe.

CARRY MY LOAD WELL (Galatians 6:5). Great confidence comes from learning to bear loads and carry responsibility well, especially your own. Own what’s yours. Declare war on blame-shifting. 

Taking personal responsibility marks our maturity. Carry your load well and blessings will stockpile (Matthew 25:14-30).

LOADS CAN DECEIVE (Galatians 6:3). Pride and pity so want to come into play when life loads us up. They ask to move in at some point and begin to deceive.

They make us and others believe we’ve done a lot, or the converse – they make us view ourselves as pitiful, inept, incapable of bearing any kind of significant load. Both are deceptions.

COMPARE NOT THE LOAD (Galatians 6:4). Loads weren’t meant to be compared. Your load is personal, between you and God. Building healthy pride in your work must be based on accomplishment, not comparison.

Comparison, just like pride and pity, deceives too. Avoid this temptation. It’s a killer.

ONE LOAD IS LIGHT. In a world full of heavy loads, Jesus offers a load management program that’s far better. It’s doable, light and loaded with soul rest.

All that’s required is this: Come to Him. Learn of Him. Exchange loads. That’s it. How beautiful! How encouraging and powerful (Matthew 11:28–30).

Reflect: What’s heavy in your life right now and how are you handling it? Who else’s load needs your lift? Would you embrace Matthew 11:28-30, memorize it, and let it lift you?

A prayer to consider: LORD, You know me, what I can and should handle. Please help me with my load management. I don’t wanna be deceived or give way to comparison. 

I want responsibility to mark my life and to be great at chopping wood and carrying water for others. For your glory and my joy. Amen.