Bear one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. — Galatians 6:2NIV
I often think of how believers who are consumed with the cares of life. Perhaps their burdens are due to finances, their marriage, friendships, a problem at work, a child who is rebellious or running from God, a death in the family — the list of potential problems goes on and on.
It is sad to think of the vast number of churchgoers who attend services regularly and are feeling the weight of the world on their shoulders. Either no one would help them or pray with them, or no one even cares how they are doing. Just popping in and out of Church services does not cut it. There is never an opportunity to tell anyone what is happening in their lives, so they leave the service just as burdened or even greater when they leave the building.. RELATIONship screams out at me. People need relationships with other believers and with the Jesus Christ Himself!
Have you ever been so burdened with the cares of life that you felt the earth crashing in all around you? Did you wish somehow someone would crawl under that load and help you carry it? Perhaps you can remember times when you cried out to God, please send someone to help me with these things I am dealing with right now!
Now I know we are to give our burdens to the Lord, yet there are times when we need a helping hand in the FLESH! So I wonder what Paul meant when he said to bear one another's burdens?
In 2 Corinthians 1:8 and 2 Corinthians 5:4, Paul uses the word burden to describe how he and his traveling companions felt. This burden could be a physical or spiritual problem. For instance, this type of pressing burden could be a habitual sin (addiction, sickness…) that has plagued you and weighed you down year after year. Satan may try to use these kinds of weaknesses and faults to hinder or completely abort God's plan for your life. That is why it is so important that these "burdens" be dealt with and defeated. If you are unable to do it alone, you need to seek the help of others to pull you through to a place of victory. I by no means mean that people should enable you by digging you out in the natural. It could mean the carrying of others burdens means moral support, spiritual guidance, and coaching from the sidelines.
So how do we become a burden carrier? Seek Him tonight and ask. How can I become a burden carrier and not become bound? How can I help a fellow believer and not get emotionally attached to the circumstance?
I want to encourage you today to be sensitive to the needs of others who are around you. When you go to church, go to work, or even spend time with your family and friends, ask the Holy Spirit to help you see when people are carrying too much by themselves. If you discern they are burdened, go to them and ask, How can I pray for you today? What is happening in your life?
God may use you to bring real relief and freedom into someone's life. Perhaps just providing a listening ear is all that is needed to help that person get through his or her dilemma.
On the other hand, if an overwhelming problem, weakness, habit, or sin is pressing down on your life, you need to be humble enough to say, hey, I need someone to pray with me! Ask the Lord to intercede for you. Ask Him to help you out of this situation. If you are stilled weighed down do not be proud and admit this is too much to do completely by yourself. It may be difficult for you to open your heart and reveal your need, but it will be far more difficult for you to carry it alone. Alone you may eventually become emotionally devastated by that burden.
As brothers and sisters in the Lord, we need to do everything we can to step deeply into people's lives in order to encourage and refresh them spiritually and to help them get through their problems. When we see someone struggling, we must be bold enough to ask that person how we can help! When we work together as a Body in this way, every need will be addressed and met!
Hey what is the law of Christ anyway?—To love one another more than ourselves?
Sometimes I just want to wipe those burdens from my children's lives. I sometimes think, put it on me Lord so I may spare them the pain, the grief, the stress, the hurt… Then I am reminded that it was as I walked through some of those trials myself I grew closer to God. When I faced fear itself I became an over-comer! It is life's journey that works in us the opportunities to become more like Christ. It is those desperate times of weakness, adversity, and overwhelming burdens that brought about a greater love and appreciation of the cross, the blood of Jesus, and the Love of our Father. So do not spare your loved one's journey through the burdens of this world. Know that Father has a great plan to be played out in their lives.
In our Bible Discovery Groups we pray the Lord will allow us to speak uplifting words to one another and to increase a deeper hunger to know the Lord. As we know Him more intimately we are able to speak boldly to those who are hungry and hurting–those that are heavy burdened.
Lord, I am asking You to help us be sensitive to the needs of other people. Help us to stop being so consumed with my own concerns that we are negligent in recognizing the needs of those around us. Holy Spirit, help us to see through the masks people tend to wear to cover up what is really happening in their lives. Give us the wisdom to know how to approach people who need strength and encouragement.
May we all pray this in Jesus name!
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