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Have you ever found yourself being weighed down by a burden of leadership? It could have been as you led your family, your co-workers, a group from within your church, or a group of friends. Whatever the group was, God had ordered your steps to be in a position of leadership with the group.

At first, everything seemed to be going smoothly, but then the group encountered some type of difficulty. The “honeymoon” period ended abruptly and the people around you began to murmur and complain. You may be feeling weighed down in your role of leadership even today. 

The Israelites often turned to murmuring throughout their journey in the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land. As the people murmured, they would dishonor God. And all of that murmuring was most often directed toward Moses. Such was the case after they departed from Mount Sinai to continue on with their journey.(1) The pillar of cloud was going before them and the ark of the covenant containing the tablets etched with the ten commandments was now traveling in their midst.

The people began to cry out with their complaints. They literally began to scream at Moses, who in turn cried out to God, “What did I do to deserve the burden of a people like this?”(2)

Are you feeling his pain? Have you ever felt like a burden was being placed upon you that you had done nothing to deserve?

A wise man told me early in ministry, “Whenever you are leading God’s people, be careful to pass all the praise on to Him, and all the criticism as well.” A mistake we often make is that we want to hold onto it. We want to keep some or all of the praise; and as was often the case for Moses, we tend to hold onto the criticism as well. When we try to hold on to the praise, we will begin to develop an inflated opinion of ourselves. When we try to hold on to the criticism, we will often end up drowning in a pool of self-pity.

Regardless of which one we try to hold onto, we will be adding far more to our load than God ever intended; and the load will get heavier and heavier. The task that God has placed before us to do and the ministry opportunity He has given us will cease to be a blessing and will quickly become a burden – a “load that is far too heavy”. When that happens, we will cry out to God to be taken out from under the burden; but the lesson we need to remember is that God never intended for us to be under the burden in the first place. Jesus said, “My yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light."(3)

You will know you are under a burden God never intended when you overvalue your own performance in God’s work. Moses said, “I can’t carry all these people by myself!”(4) – as if he was carrying them at all! Who parted the Red Sea? Who defeated every enemy along the way? Who provided for every need? We, too, are very good at taking the credit; we talk about his work or her work or my work. The truth of the matter is that it is God’s work He has chosen to accomplish through us. We must be careful to never get that confused and overvalue our role.

Secondly, Moses said to God, “I’d rather You killed me than treat me like this.”(5) Part of his overburdening came about when he undervalued the honor God had placed on him. Moses had been chosen by the Lord God Jehovah to be the instrument through which He led His people out of Egypt to the Promised Land. God didn’t need to honor Moses, and Moses did not deserve to be honored. But God chose to honor Moses. The same is true of us. God has given us rights and honor as His people,(6) not because we are worthy but because He has chosen to do so. And what God has given value, no man can remove. With God’s value comes the enablement and empowerment to finish the task. Don’t undervalue what God has valued – and don’t allow others to do it either.

Next, Moses lost sight of the fact that this was God’s assignment. God’s assignment will always be far greater than anything we can do ourselves. God’s work results in God’s glory. If we could do it, who would get the glory? We, like Moses, will find ourselves under a load that is far too heavy when we either overestimate our ability or underestimate God’s ability. Take heart, there is nothing that He has placed before you that He does not have the strength to complete; and conversely, there is nothing that He has placed before you that you have the strength to complete apart from Him. So get out from under the load and give it to Him.

Lastly, watch for who God has surrounded you with to be co-laborers in His work. God has not called us to be “Lone Ranger” Christians. The seventy leaders that God told Moses to assemble that day were already in the camp. God had placed them there for just that purpose. Yes, Moses may have nominated the men, but it was God who had qualified them. He had prepared them and He had gifted them. And the Lord was preparing to fill them with His Spirit so they would be fully equipped to accomplish His purpose.

As you journey down your own life path this day, do you find yourself struggling under a load that is far too heavy? Get out from under it and give it to Him; He never intended for you to be under it – and He never will.

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i’ve adapted this post from The Wandering Years, chapter 11, entitled “The Load Is Far Too Heavy.” This second book in the Lessons Learned In The Wilderness series is available through Amazon in print or for your e-reader. Click HERE for more information on how you can obtain your copy of the book.

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(1)  Numbers 11:10-11, 14-17 (NLT)

Moses heard all the families standing in front of their tents weeping, and the LORD became extremely angry. Moses was also very aggravated. And Moses said to the LORD, "Why are You treating me, Your servant, so miserably? What did I do to deserve the burden of a people like this? I can't carry all these people by myself! The load is far too heavy! I'd rather You killed me than treat me like this. Please spare me this misery!" Then the LORD said to Moses, "Summon before Me seventy of the leaders of Israel. Bring them to the Tabernacle to stand there with you. I will come down and talk to you there. I will take some of the Spirit that is upon you, and I will put the Spirit upon them also. They will bear the burden of the people along with you, so you will not have to carry it alone.

(2)  Numbers 11:11 (NLT)

(3)  Matthew 11:30 (NLT)

(4)  Numbers 11:14 (NLT)

(5)  Numbers 11:15 (NLT)

(6)  1 Peter 2:9

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