When Job Stress Becomes Too Heavy to Carry

There’s a certain weight that comes with job-related stress. It’s not just about long hours or deadlines. It’s the mental load you carry home with you — the worry that you didn’t do enough, the conversations that replay in your head at night, the projects that loom over you even when you’re trying to enjoy dinner with your family.

Before time off, the pressure often feels like it’s at its highest. The work piles up because you want to make sure nothing slips through the cracks. You push harder, stretch yourself thinner, and convince yourself you can carry it just a little longer. But eventually, it starts to spill over into your spirit.

I’ve felt that sharp edge of exhaustion — where your patience runs short, where even good things feel like a burden, and where joy seems harder to reach. It’s a reminder that we weren’t made to run endlessly without pause.

Scripture tells us this clearly. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28:
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

Those words are both invitation and promise. We weren’t designed to carry the stress of our work alone. Rest isn’t a reward for finishing everything on our to-do list — it’s a gift from God, meant to restore us in body, mind, and spirit.

I've been trying to get my "ducks in a row" before I time off for my son's wedding.  Many times, I've had time off interrupted by work because of priority one incidents, phone calls from my boss, or other people not stepping up.  A major upgrade was scheduled right in the midst of my time off despite my clearly communicating that I'll be out of the office and WHY.  It feels like a slap in the face. While I'm uncomfortable with the circumstances, I have communicated with numerous parties regarding this upgrade.  Perhaps this is a good opportunity for others to step up and/or for management to see that others don't step up.  

As I step into this time off, I’m realizing that the world won’t fall apart if I pause. The work will still be there when I return. But if I don’t choose to rest, I risk showing up to life half-empty, drained, and disconnected from the very people and purposes God has entrusted me with.

Maybe you feel that same pressure building before your own time away. If so, let this be a reminder: it’s okay to lay it down. You are not defined by what you produce. You are held by the One who invites you into His rest.

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