Being a co-dependant missionary is hard work

I was sharing a difficult conversation that I had and something hit me between the eyes.  I am not responsible for others issues!!  I have always taken very close to heart when someone  I love is going through something difficult and carry it as if it were my issue!  But how often have I carried weights that weren't meant for me and I end up exhausted, burnt out and frustrated?   Not only do I suffer for it, my family suffers for it because I turn into a cranky you know what to  live with.  

 Luis shared with me about the ephod that the priests carried into the presence of God.  That garment represented all the burdens of all the people in all of Israel.  Thats a lot of ALL!  But when Jesus took the burden on himself and became our great high priest he took that away to carry it on his broad and very capable shoulders. It is not a burden that I wish to carry and am not meant to!   I know that it is talking about the burden of sin, but could it also be speaking to us co-dependants?  Don't we take on cares and worries that aren't ours to take?  We don't have good boundaries and we get walked all over all the time!  That doesn't sound like a life of freedom and promise that Jesus won for me on the cross does it?  

When there is tension is a relationship I am involved in it is my responsibility to go to them and try to clear the air, scripture is very clear on my responsibilities there.  But where I have always gone wrong is that I feel I am myself responsible for their response.  WRONG!  How often have i avoided issues in order to "keep peace"?  Isnt it true that peace sometimes comes with a sword?  Lance boils and cut of dead crappy junk?  

I would LOVE to hear your thoughts