Moses was at his breaking point. The weight of leadership pressed so hard on his shoulders that he begged God to take his life. Can you believe that? Even the great Moses felt like I can’t do this anymore. The complaints, the expectations, the never-ending demands—it all became too much.
He wasn’t just leading a nation. He was carrying them. Like a father with a screaming toddler on his back, except this wasn’t one child—it was an entire people, wailing for more, never satisfied. “Give us meat!” they cried. “Why did you bring us here?” they groaned.
And Moses? He had nothing left to give. What people don't know about Godly leaders is that they don't just lead, they carry. The burdens of the people become the leaders burden.
So he did what real leaders do when they hit the wall.
He turned to God.
Even the Strongest Leaders Need Help
And God answered. Not by removing the burden, but by reshaping it.
"Gather seventy elders," God told him. "Men who already lead. Men who know the weight of responsibility. Bring them to Me, and I will put My Spirit on them. They will carry this with you. You are not meant to do this alone.”
Moses learned something every leader must understand:
Leadership is not about how much you can carry. It’s about who carries it with you.
Not Just Any Help—The Right Help
God didn’t tell Moses to grab just anyone. He didn’t say, “Find seventy volunteers.” He didn’t say, “Pick the loudest voices.” No, He told him to choose leaders who were already walking in wisdom, and then God empowered them with His Spirit.
Because not all help is helpful.
Ever seen a drowning man grab the wrong thing? He’ll reach for anything—a rock, a rope too short, even another person struggling just like him. And instead of saving him, it pulls him down further.
That’s what happens when leaders choose the wrong help. You don’t need hands that are just willing, you need hands that are anointed.
The Lesson for Leaders Today
Moses stood there, no longer alone. Seventy men stood beside him, now carrying what once crushed him. The burden was still there, but the weight had shifted.
This is the way of leadership.
- You are not meant to carry it all. Even Moses couldn’t do it alone. What makes you think you can?
- Cry out to God, not the crowd. People will always demand more. Only God can show you how to handle it.
- Choose your team wisely. Not every eager hand is the right hand. Look for those filled with the Spirit, not just full of opinions.
- When the right people carry the weight, the mission moves forward. The difference between exhaustion and endurance is who’s standing beside you.
Moses thought he was finished. God showed him he was just getting started—with the right people by his side.
And so are you.