Manhood Is Hard

This past weekend, the weight of all my responsibilities as a husband, father, executive, and minister hit me all at once. I actually broke down during our church service. Thankfully, I wasn’t alone. I was met by loving brothers who offered pure empathy. We hugged, cried, and laughed as they shared my weight. God used His church to lift me up when I was at my lowest.

As men, we carry a massive amount of responsibility. If we manage it all in our own strength, a breakdown is inevitable. We often don't realize we’re drowning because we’ve been conditioned to compartmentalize and press forward. But stress eventually shows up emotionally, mentally, and physically. God designed our bodies to warn us of overextending, and we have to pay attention. Managing this stress requires the discipline of saying 'no.' Saying yes to too many things leaves us stressed and empty. My pastor shared, our 'no’s' can be just as holy as our 'yes’s.' If we don’t uphold firm boundaries, even good things become heavy burdens, leading us to serve with resentment rather than pure hearts.

The stress of responsibility is real, and an effective weapon against it is true brotherhood. We need men around us with whom we can be open, honest and will help bear these heavy burdens. If you’ve never experienced that kind of community, please plug into the local church. I’m deeply thankful for the men who spoke life into me when stress was beating me down. Have a blessed week, brothers!