Faith in the Dark: Lighten the Load
Chapter 6 Companion
Psalm 34:17 (NIV)
“The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles.”
Carter’s mom surprises him when she accidentally pulls him out of a daydream. As they sit down and talk, he finally lets everything spill out—the meetings with his teacher, the nightmares, the pressure, the fear of not being enough.
His mom listens.
Really listens.
Then she steps in to help. She shares what she’s learned from her own nightmares and offers to talk with his teacher. Carter isn’t thrilled about that part—he’s afraid it might make things worse—but something unexpected happens:
He feels lighter.
Hope flickers.
For the first time in a long time, he doesn’t feel like he’s facing everything alone.
Carter didn’t want to burden his mom. He didn’t want to add to her stress. But instead of scolding him, she offered comfort, wisdom, and help. And that simple moment—choosing to open up—freed him from the cage of fear he’d been carrying by himself.
How often do we do the same thing?
We hold everything in because we don’t want to be a burden. We say, “I’m fine,” even when we’re not. But the people who love us… they notice. They see the heaviness in our eyes, the silence in our voice, the weight we’re trying to hide.
And when we stay closed off, we’re not the only ones who suffer—they worry too.
Sharing our burdens with someone trustworthy doesn’t just lighten our load; It gives others the chance to actually understand what’s going on and offer help, or at least a different point of view. It’s like taking off a blindfold so they can finally see with us instead of guessing in the dark.
God places people in our lives for moments like these. And even when we feel like we can’t lean on anyone else, we can always lean on Him. He already sees every fear. Every wound. Every weight. Nothing is hidden from Him—and nothing is “too much.”
But He still invites us to hand it over.
To cry out.
To release the grip we have on the things that are crushing us.
He never promised life would always be easy.
But He did promise to walk with us every step of the way.
So today… what do you think?
Ready to lighten your load?
Psalms 55:22 (NIV)
“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.”
Think About It
Can you think of a time when you told someone you trusted what was truly happening in your life and felt better?
How does it feel to know that God already knows what’s troubling you and wants to help lighten your load?
Is there anything you can cast onto God’s shoulders today?
🌙 Week 6 Challenge- Backpack Burden
This week, you’ll get to see what it feels like to carry your worries—and what it feels like to finally set them down.
You’ll need:
An empty backpack
A few small items (books, pencils, socks, toys—anything you can safely carry)
Step 1: Pack Your Burdens
Think of a few things weighing on your heart right now.
For each one, place an item in the backpack.
You don’t have to write anything down.
Just choose one item for each worry or stress.
Step 2: Carry the Load
Put the backpack on and walk around for a minute.
Notice how it feels:
Heavier than you expected?
A little uncomfortable?
Like something you don’t want to carry for long?
That’s what it feels like when we hold everything inside.
Step 3: Lighten Your Load
Take the items out one by one.
As you pull each item out, say a simple prayer:
“Lord, I give this to You.”
Feel the backpack get lighter.
Feel your heart get lighter too.
Step 4: Leave It With Him
When the backpack is empty, take a deep breath.
You don’t have to shoulder everything alone.
God walks with you—and He carries what you can’t.