The Wonderful Burden

You can’t lead your family in faith if you keep carrying every burden alone.

If you’re tired of trying to carry it all by yourself, today’s devotional will speak directly to your shoulders, your heart, and your calling. It’s time for Christian men to reject the lie that leadership means going solo. This is about daily surrender, leading with Jesus, and finding joy in what seems heavy. Whether you’re a father, mentor, or just trying to follow Christ better—this is for you.

God’s Word for Today

Matthew 11:28 (ESV), “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Being a man of God is not easy. It’s not supposed to be. Leading your home, raising children, standing in the gap—this is the battlefield where God puts His warriors. But listen, brother—it is a wonderful burden. Not because it’s light from the start, but because when it’s carried with Jesus, it becomes joy.

Years ago, I found myself holding two roles at once: father and provider. I was newly divorced, barely making enough, and raising my kids alone. It was lonely. It was heavy. I was a new believer with more questions than answers. But I knew this much—I wasn’t built to carry it all myself.

Some of you are in that season now. Bills piling up. Kids needing your presence. The world expecting strength but offering no help. You’re trying to do right, and you’re doing all you can. But here’s what I learned: trying to carry it all alone is exactly how men break. We weren’t made for that.

Jesus said, “Come to Me.” (Matthew 11:28, ESV) Not after we get it all right. Not when the house is in order. Right now. In the mess. In the pain. In the panic of trying to be enough. He calls us to Him not to make us strong in ourselves—but strong in Him.

When I finally stopped trying to be the fixer and started letting Jesus take the lead, everything changed. We prayed. We read the Bible—not every day, not perfectly, but faithfully. Slowly, quietly, Jesus took my worries and replaced them with peace. He didn’t remove every problem, but He walked with me through them.

And I look at my kids now. They love Jesus. They talk to Him. They walk with Him. That’s not because I got it all right. It’s because God honored those early, wobbly steps of obedience. He grew fruit from the seeds planted in weakness.

You might feel like you’re not doing enough. That’s a lie from the pit. You don’t have to be the hero. You have to be the man who leans on Jesus and leads his family to do the same.

There were nights I wept because I didn’t think I had it in me. There were days I wanted to run. But the moment I took my eyes off Jesus, I began to sink—just like Peter did when he walked on water.

Matthew 14:30–31 (ESV), “But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, ‘Lord, save me.’ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?'”

And every time I sank, Jesus was right there, reaching out His hand. Every time.

Even when I did not realize it, He was there.

That’s the rhythm of real manhood. We walk. We stumble. We refocus. And we discover that Jesus never leaves.

The burden isn’t the problem. It’s the weight we try to carry without God that crushes us. When we give Him the responsibility He’s asked us to steward, He doesn’t remove the burden—He shares it. And in that shared burden is where we find rest. Not in escape. Not in checking out. Not in worldly comfort. But in the quiet strength of knowing we’re not carrying this alone.

1 Peter 5:7 (ESV), “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

If that’s true—and it is—then why do so many of us still walk like the weight is ours alone?

Men, today is your wake-up call. You can’t protect your family, lead them in faith, or stand firm against this world with your knees buckling under weight you weren’t meant to carry alone. The battle is not yours. It’s the Lord’s.

2 Chronicles 20:15 (ESV), “Thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s.’”

So put the burden on God. And stand beside Him. That’s where your strength will rise.

The wonderful burden of being a man of the shepherd is not a punishment. It’s a privilege. It’s the road to fruit. The kind of fruit that shows up in your children, your marriage, your legacy.

Don’t shake off the responsibility. Don’t run from the weight. Embrace it. But do it with Jesus.

Because with Him, even the heaviest burdens become light.

Today’s “Shepherding in Action” Value

Surrendered Strength — Real Biblical leadership begins when a man stops relying on himself and fully depends on Christ. That surrender is what strengthens a shepherd to lead his family well.

Reflect / Apply / Share

1. Reflect – What burdens am I still trying to carry on my own instead of giving them to Jesus?
2. Apply – What’s one area this week where I can surrender control and trust God to lead instead?
3. Share – Who in my life needs to hear how Jesus lightened my load—and how can I show them?

Bible References (ESV)

• Matthew 11:28 — “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
• Matthew 14:30–31 — “But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, ‘Lord, save me.’ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?'”
• 1 Peter 5:7 — “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”
• 2 Chronicles 20:15 — “Thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s.’”

Personal Prayer

Lord, I’m tired of carrying what You never meant me to carry alone. I give You these burdens, and I ask You to strengthen me as I lead with You at my side.

My Personal Journey & Engagement Call
These weekday reflections flow from my time in God’s Word. I invite you to join me and other Men of the Shepherd in building Christ-centered homes—leading, discipling, and serving like Jesus.
If these reflections encourage you, please like, share, and pass them on so more men can grow in their calling.
To follow along with the weekday readings, check out our Weekday Reflections Playlist on YouTube or subscribe to the YouTube channel here.

#MenOfTheShepherd #menofgod #ironsharpensiron #mensministry #discipleship