Carry on! It can be a hurtful routine and a harmful practice. Pretending as if we are not hurt or in need of assistance, acting like we are not tired and can take whatever comes our way or is thrown at us can be costly. The strong and silent type, we grin and bear. We laugh when we feel like crying. We stand tall when we want to cower in a corner or pull the bed sheets over our heads.

We wave off the questions, the concern, the involvement of others. “I’m fine.” “It’s okay.” But, the weight of life will crush us, squeeze us, choke the very life out of us if we do not “cast all of our cares on God” (First Peter 5.7).

As I look closer, I realize that so many of us are not smiling but gasping, that we are not waving but flailing our arms, trying to flag someone down to help us. We really can’t take it anymore and we don’t know how we can carry on.

It is so easy for us to wear the mask of perfection, to act like we’ve got it all together. But, trouble will crack our masks. Trouble will cause the ground beneath us to shake and relationships to crumble. Unstable, we cry out for help.

And Jesus answers us, “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11.28, NRSV). You don’t have to carry on; just carry it to Him. Give it to Jesus.