Jump Start # 3268
Galatians 6:2 “Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.”
Burden bearers, that’s what disciples are. They lighten the heavy load that others are carrying. It helps to know that others care. It helps knowing that you can lean upon others. They may not be able to fix what troubles you, but having a shoulder to cry upon, or to help you walk down the road is such a valuable blessing.
There are some things we need to know about bearing burdens:
First, some don’t want their burdens to go away. That may seem odd and almost impossible to believe, but it’s true. Some like to complain about their burdens. Some want an audience so they can tell all about their troubles, but if those burdens were removed, what would they talk about? What would they complain about? They may want you to feel sorry for them and they may want you to listen to their sad story over and over, but to offer suggestions, solutions and help, that they don’t want any part of. I have to admit that my tolerance and patience after a while runs really thin when people want to moan about how miserable their life is but they don’t want to do anything about it. The other day some was crying to me about how he hated his job. This has gone on for months. I told him to quit. Immediately he shot back, what would I do then? I told him, get another job, that’s what you do. I hear people saying, “I hate living here. I hate the traffic. I hate the weather.” Then, move. I hear, “I don’t like the church I’m going to. Don’t like the preaching. Don’t like the people.” Then leave. Find another congregation. But most times, nothing will change. They will stay in that job, that city, that church, and just feel miserable and complain. There are some burdens that you cannot bear because a person will not take his fingers off of them.
Second, there are some burdens that only God can fix. A sorrow. A prodigal. A hurt. We can support, be there, and be comfort, but the troubles may still remain. As disciples we are limited in what we can do. However, our presence, our compassion and our prayers can bring such comfort, even though the burden remains. It’s not a failure on our part that we could not remove the burden. Somethings only God can fix.
Third, burdens come in different flavors and in different fashions. Some are external, such as the loss of a job, financial troubles, a death. Some are health related. Some are more emotional and mental. A prodigal in the family. Grown kids that do not get along with parents. Some are spiritual, such as someone drifting away from the Lord. We are pretty good at wearing masks to hide these burdens from others. And, all of these burdens impact us in different ways. Some burdens last a long time. Realizing this helps us to be able to help others. It’s not our place to determine or measure how severe one’s burdens are. Is physical pain worse than emotional pain? Is the internal worse than the external? While I carry one burden, you may carry a different kind of burden. Is mine harder to deal with than yours? We don’t need to go there. To the person with the burden, it hurts. It consumes his mind and his energy. It’s hard for him to focus on other things.
Must one be free of burdens before he can help another with their burden? That would make a great question to kick around in a Bible class. I don’t believe one must be burden free in order to help another. While I hurt one way, I may be able to encourage you as you carry your own burden. And, as I do this, it often helps me with my own burden. Helping another many times leads to helping yourself.
This is the power and strength of fellowship. This is what is missing from internet worship and livestreaming from home. I can sing, listen to a sermon and pray, but what I miss is the interaction with others. This is why the Corinthians were told, “when you come together.” We need to be together. One can worship via the internet, but one cannot fellowship. It’s hard to bear one another’s burdens when we are apart and we are unaware of what others are going through.
Helping one another is one of the powerful aspects of the church. We do not journey alone. We have all around us those who are watching for us, caring for us, loving us, and supporting us. As the English group, The Hollies sang, “He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother.” Together we get through the toughest things. Together we lean upon each other. Together we march to Zion.
Bearing burdens…what a blessing that is.
Roger