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April 21, 2026<\/span><\/p>\n A Lighter Way<\/strong><\/span> Lee en espa\u00f1ol<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cCarry each other\u2019s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.\u201d Galatians 6:2 (NIV)<\/em><\/p>\n Have you joined the rucking craze? If you haven\u2019t heard of it, rucking is a form of exercise by walking with added weight, often a weighted vest. I finally bought one after two things happened. First, my sister-in-law told me she swears by it (and she\u2019s got the bod to back it up). Second, a little bit of Googling revealed the many benefits for women of a certain age. Ahem, my<\/em> age now.<\/p>\n When the vest arrived, I hoisted it on my shoulders (with my husband\u2019s help) and instantly felt a couple of inches shorter. Walking around the neighborhood, I felt the weight of every step, my shoulders and neck straining, my abdominals engaging.<\/p>\n It made me think about how the trials we endure can be heavy, too \u2014 especially when we are carrying them alone.<\/p>\n Addiction, divorce, death, cancer, trauma. Just turning on the news some days can feel like wearing the weight of the world. When we feel alone in our trials, it can be even heavier.<\/p>\n But God offers a lighter way. In Galatians 6:2, God\u2019s Word through the Apostle Paul reminds us that we\u2019re called to be there for each other: \u201cCarry each other\u2019s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.\u201d<\/em> We were never meant to do life or face trials alone.<\/p>\n Maybe right now, you\u2019re in that liminal space between troubles (praise the Lord!). If so, perhaps you can step into the life of another person who is struggling. Maybe a co-worker or family member is caring for a loved one who is wrestling with addiction. Or perhaps a friend is going through a difficult divorce. Whatever the trial, we can lean in and not shy away from serving those in need. We can be there to lift the heaviness off their shoulders and carry some of the weight for a while.<\/p>\n Or perhaps you are the one who feels overburdened, overwhelmed, and alone. Lean into the community around you, call on your people, or visit a local ministry that supports whatever issue you\u2019re facing. (Recovery ministries are incredible places for people struggling with addiction and their families.)<\/p>\n Remember: You<\/em> are not a burden, though what you carry may feel like it.<\/p>\n Together<\/em>, we can experience what Jesus shares in Matthew 11:28-30:<\/p>\n \u201cCome to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light\u201d<\/em> (NIV).<\/p>\n When we lean into each other and on Jesus, the heaviness of life is replaced with Light.<\/p>\n Heavenly Father, You know the trials of life can feel heavy. Please help us to lean into community when we struggle and to be a support for others in need. Help us to rely on You in the heaviness of life and to trust in Your yoke. In Jesus\u2019 Name, Amen.<\/em><\/p>\n If you or a loved one is impacted by addiction, grab a copy of Caroline Beidler\u2019s book, When You Love Someone in Recovery: A Hopeful Guide to Understanding Addiction<\/em>.<\/p>\n You don\u2019t have to do this alone. Understanding recovery changes everything.<\/p>\n Connect with Caroline by subscribing to her monthly letter delivered right to your inbox \u2014 and receive a special note with her favorite mental health tools and resources.<\/p>\n Enter to WIN your very own copy of When You Love Someone in Recovery\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>by Caroline Beidler. To celebrate this book, Caroline\u2019s publisher will give away 5 copies! Enter to win by filling out the form here. {We\u2019ll randomly select 5 winners and notify them via email by Monday, April 27, 2026.}<\/p>\n 1 Peter 5:7, \u201cCast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you\u201d (NIV).<\/p>\n How can you show up today to help carry someone\u2019s burden? How can you reach out if it feels like you are carrying the weight of the world? Share with us in the comments.<\/p>\n \u00a9 2026 by Caroline Beidler. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n Photo Credit: \u00a9Getty Images\/andreswd<\/span><\/p>\n Proverbs 31 Ministries April 21, 2026 A Lighter WayCAROLINE BEIDLER, MSW Lee en espa\u00f1ol \u201cCarry each other\u2019s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.\u201d Galatians 6:2 (NIV) Have you joined the rucking craze? If you haven\u2019t heard of it, rucking is a form of exercise by walking with added weight, often a weighted<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27494,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[41],"tags":[5916,86,269,268,9073,270,181],"class_list":{"0":"post-27493","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-devotionals","8":"tag-april","9":"tag-daily","10":"tag-devotional","11":"tag-encouragement","12":"tag-lighter","13":"tag-proverbs","14":"tag-today"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/biblelon.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27493","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/biblelon.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/biblelon.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biblelon.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biblelon.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=27493"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/biblelon.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27493\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biblelon.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/27494"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/biblelon.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=27493"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biblelon.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=27493"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biblelon.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=27493"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
CAROLINE BEIDLER, MSW <\/span><\/p>\nOUR FAVORITE THINGS<\/h4>\n
ENGAGE<\/h4>\n
FOR DEEPER STUDY<\/h4>\n
P.O. Box 3189
Matthews, NC 28106
www.Proverbs31.org<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"