Carijng about what happens to others, the lost art.

Have you ever confided in someone about what’s troubling you only to have them turn and walk away like they could care less? Have you ever heard someone tell you their troubles and realized later that you inadvertantly dismissed them and just walked away witout even trying to be there for them? If either of these things have happened to you, you’re in the company of a lot of modern-day Christians. The act of carrying each others burdens is vanishing from out lives today, and it’s getting serious.

From a young age, children struggle to be independent: “I can do it myself!” We idolize independence and self-sufficiency. We value people who can “pull themselves up by their own bootstraps.” We pride ourselves in being “better” than others around us.

But Christ has a different idea about how we should interact with one another. We should be caring for one another and involved in each other’s lives.

This way of being connected means we care enough about our neighbors to find out what burdens they carry. In communities where we may not even know the names of our neighbors, God nudges us to hear the concerns of their hearts. Do you know about the struggles of others around you? Just caring enough to ask is a good first step. But I still think that a listening ear is the best way to begin carrying a burden together. GReal concern is a healer.

A next step may be prayer. Everyone needs prayer, and few people refuse an offer to be prayed for, even if they have little faith of their own. Pray over one another and lift each other up before God!

And maybe you can lift a burden by lending a helping hand or an act of service. Or maybe you’re the one in need. Can you, in Christ’s name, allow others to serve you?

Christ’s law is fulfilled when we can reach out with genuine compassion and care for each other.

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
—Galatians 6:2

Prayer:

Lord, help us to care for each other. May we show your love and lift others up in prayer. Amen.

Are you up for sharing each others burdens? Many aren’t!

No one is immune from burdens in this life. Biblical scripture provides people with comfort and support from these burdens. The Bible says again and again that we must believe that God will deliver us from our trials and tribulations. Studying the scriptures of the Bible is a wonderful way to overcome our burdens, to find relief from the suffering that everyday burdens cause.

The precedent is set for dealing with burdens in the Old Testament. The Israelites were mistreated constantly by the Egyptians. Their burdens were heavy but they did not allow their misery to overcome them. In Exodus 1:12 the scripture says, “But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites”. From the story of the Hebrews, we learn the importance of depending on God to hold us up in times of trial. They are a shining example to us all as we face our face our burdens.

The New Testament continues the theme of depending on God and Jesus to bear our burdens. In Matthew 11:28-30 we are told, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Jesus promises relief from the heavy burdens that we carry like a yoke around our necks. He does not promise that we will not be burdened, but rather He promises that the burdens we encounter will not feel so heavy anymore.

Scripture says in Galatians 6:2 “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” It is important for Christian’s to realize that they are not alone in bearing burdens. They should support one another. Being burdened with one’s own trials is no excuse for not helping your fellow man with his or her burdens. John 13:34 reminds people to reach out to those who are hurting around them.

Jesus warns the Pharisees that they should be ashamed of putting burdens of law on the people when they will not even bother to help the people. In Luke 11:46, Jesus says, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.” The Pharisees took the Ten Commandments and added more laws to each one. Jesus recognizes that the commandments given by his Father are enough, and there is no need for additional laws to be imposed on the people.

Our burdens can seem at times to be more than we can possibly bear. In Psalm 145, King David catalogues all of the reasons that we should depend on God to deliver us from our burdens. Psalm 145:14 tells us that “The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down”. He does so because he a compassionate God, He is fair in His dealing with us, He is capable of performing miracles, and his powers are infinite. “The Lord is near to all who call on him”, Psalm 145:18 tells us. The largest effect of turning over our burdens to God is the peace in troubled times that we find.