From Carrying to Companioning

Dear One,

What can you set down?

A friend of mine was in a season of grief. She likened the weight of it to that of carrying an over-grown child in her arms. She was holding the heavy, and it became heavier by the mile. I asked her, “What if you set it down?”

I wondered how it would be for her to walk beside the grief instead of carrying it. Still present, but in a different capacity.

I’m asking myself the same question right now: What if I set it down?

Like my friend, I’m a carrier, and I’m feeling the weight of a long walk with some things right now. What if I set them down? Said to him/her/it: I can’t carry you, but I’ll companion you.

What if I moved:

  • From beneath the burden, to beside it. 
  • From carrying, to companioning.
  • From holding up, to holding with.

What can I set down? Not to abandon, but to accompany; to hold its hand rather than its heaviness?

There are certain realities we all need to walk with, and some are of significant weight, but we don’t need to live life under them. Because Christ carries, we can companion.

“Since God cares for you, let him carry all your burdens and worries.”
1 Peter 5:7
“Pile your troubles on God’s shoulders – he’ll carry your load.”
Psalm 55:22

That word, “burden,” means our lot in life – the care, anxiety, etc. which are our portion (and we all have portions!). So the invitation is to pile that which has been given to us, onto God. He will carry, while we companion. 

Since God cares, let God carry …
1 Peter 5:7 (Voice)

From Carrier to Companion: Our Little Life Words of the week.


DEEPER DIVE

Ponder

  • Who/what are you carrying?
  • How can you move from carrier to companion?

Practice:

  • Read the poem Heavy by Mary Oliver and consider the line: “It’s not the weight you carry but how you carry it.” 

Play

  • Our song of the week is: Carry Me by Josh Wilson.

Pray:

  • Help me to know how to companion my lot in life. How to walk beside it, not beneath it. Amen.
This entry was posted in Reflections and tagged . Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed.