Bearing One Another’s Burdens

Bearing One Another’s Burdens

One Friday evening, after a long workweek, I decided that even though I was pretty tired, I would go do my weekly grocery shopping. When I returned home, I unloaded my purse, my briefcase, and several bags of groceries from the car and began carrying them across the parking lot toward the building where I live. Each step seemed difficult, and I contemplated just leaving the grocery bags on the sidewalk and coming back for them later.

But I didn’t need to do that, because a young man I knew, sitting outside with friends nearby, jumped up and ran toward me, asking, “May I carry those for you?” Now with just my purse and briefcase to carry, my load was lightened and there was a renewed spring in my step.

For some reason that day my burden seemed heavier than usual—almost more than I could bear. I won’t forget the kindness of that brother in Christ who willingly and joyfully ran to bear my burden. As we live God’s Word together, we can reach out and help bear one another’s burdens.

God instructs us in His Word to bear one another’s burdens in the household and to help lift one another up when we need it.

Galatians 6:2:
Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

The law of Christ is the law of love; we are to love one another with the love of God, as Christ loved us.

Not every burden we face is a physical one. There are also mental and emotional burdens that can cause stress, anxiety, worry, hardship, even grief. A burden may even be a responsibility or duty that is beyond our power to handle alone. As we live God’s Word together, our privilege is to do what we can to ease another’s load, to lighten their weight, and to free them to walk for God.

Living in this world, we all face the need for help at times so that we can effectually live God’s Word.

Romans 15:1,2:
We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
Let every one of us please
his neighbour for his good to edification.

Our objective is to always edify one another in the household. Each believer has long suits and abilities that can benefit the Body of Christ. All of us grow at varying rates in the different categories of our spiritual walk. In areas where I am strong and vigorous, I can render assistance to others. In other categories, I need the help of those stronger than I.

To help lift burdens often costs little yet helps much. That which seems like a small thing to us can be precious to others.

Hebrews 10:24:
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.

We look for ways to encourage and exhort, to strengthen, to bear one another’s burdens so that no one is overladen. To “consider one another” means to have each other on our minds. We think about, pay attention to, and pray for one another. We look for specific opportunities to share the Word and to help one another.

God encourages us to help bear one another’s burdens, to help one another overcome the pressure and challenges of life. Let us fulfill the law of Christ, the wonderful law of love, and be aware of how to lift one another’s burdens as we live the Word together.

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