Galatians 6:2
"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Chirst."
What a gift we can give each other as we seek to live this out! Comforting words, a listening ear, a homemade meal, financial help, offers of prayer, and the provision of transportation or childcare are all ways that we can carry each other's burdens when tragedy or trauma strikes - when someone gets laid off or a loved one dies; when spiritual warfare is intense or life just becomes abnormally challenging; when illness or disability drain our strength or old wounds resurface. There are many burdens that we carry. Some are circumstancial, some biological, some have reasons, and some seem completely without reason. Whatever the case, we are to fulfill the law of Christ by carrying each other's burdens.
Earlier in Galatians 5, Paul tells the Galatians to not use their "freedom to indulge the sinful nature, rather serve one another in love." In fact, he says, "The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."" (Galatians 5:13-14) Galatians 6:2 is to be read in that context: carrying other's burdens is the manifestation of us loving the other as ourself. We are doing to them what we would want others to do for us.
Now this is where things can get difficult in two ways:
1) When we have burdens, often the thing we want most is to get rid of them - whatever the cost. This, however, is not God's way and so when we view burden bearing as loving our neighbour as ourselves, we must be loving ourselves (and therefore others) as one who is living by the Spirit and not gratifying the desires of the sinful nature (Gal. 5:16). This is not to say that we are not to help relieve the load another has to carry. Of course we are! We just need to make sure we are doing it in a manner that is "in step with the Spirit" (Gal. 5:25) and is part of the good we are to do to all people (Gal. 6:10).
2) When we have burdens, we may want others to take the whole load of our lives so that we don't have to deal with anything at all. Galatians 6: 5 steers us clear of this as it says, "for each one should carry his own load." There are things that individuals are responsible before God for that no one else can carry. In this brief blog entry, I'm not going to get into what that all could be but I will give a plug for a book that I've found very helpful in teaching me more about taking responsibility for my life: Boundaries by Cloud and Townsend.
We will talk more about carrying our own load in the weeks to come but today's focus in on the other. Galatians 6:1 talked of restoring gently the person who sins. They need us to share their burden as they repent and walk in a new way, as they face their weaknesses and the consequences of their sin. There are also others around us whose burdens we can carry in creative Spirit-led ways that will not overburden us.
Suggested Exercises:
a) Take some time with the Lord to ask Him to reveal to you anyone that He wants you to carry their burdens. Take action in the love of Christ!
b) If you are someone who has your own burdens that are too much for you to carry alone, consider telling someone else and asking for help.
What a gift we can give each other as we seek to live this out! Comforting words, a listening ear, a homemade meal, financial help, offers of prayer, and the provision of transportation or childcare are all ways that we can carry each other's burdens when tragedy or trauma strikes - when someone gets laid off or a loved one dies; when spiritual warfare is intense or life just becomes abnormally challenging; when illness or disability drain our strength or old wounds resurface. There are many burdens that we carry. Some are circumstancial, some biological, some have reasons, and some seem completely without reason. Whatever the case, we are to fulfill the law of Christ by carrying each other's burdens.
Earlier in Galatians 5, Paul tells the Galatians to not use their "freedom to indulge the sinful nature, rather serve one another in love." In fact, he says, "The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."" (Galatians 5:13-14) Galatians 6:2 is to be read in that context: carrying other's burdens is the manifestation of us loving the other as ourself. We are doing to them what we would want others to do for us.
Now this is where things can get difficult in two ways:
1) When we have burdens, often the thing we want most is to get rid of them - whatever the cost. This, however, is not God's way and so when we view burden bearing as loving our neighbour as ourselves, we must be loving ourselves (and therefore others) as one who is living by the Spirit and not gratifying the desires of the sinful nature (Gal. 5:16). This is not to say that we are not to help relieve the load another has to carry. Of course we are! We just need to make sure we are doing it in a manner that is "in step with the Spirit" (Gal. 5:25) and is part of the good we are to do to all people (Gal. 6:10).
2) When we have burdens, we may want others to take the whole load of our lives so that we don't have to deal with anything at all. Galatians 6: 5 steers us clear of this as it says, "for each one should carry his own load." There are things that individuals are responsible before God for that no one else can carry. In this brief blog entry, I'm not going to get into what that all could be but I will give a plug for a book that I've found very helpful in teaching me more about taking responsibility for my life: Boundaries by Cloud and Townsend.
We will talk more about carrying our own load in the weeks to come but today's focus in on the other. Galatians 6:1 talked of restoring gently the person who sins. They need us to share their burden as they repent and walk in a new way, as they face their weaknesses and the consequences of their sin. There are also others around us whose burdens we can carry in creative Spirit-led ways that will not overburden us.
Suggested Exercises:
a) Take some time with the Lord to ask Him to reveal to you anyone that He wants you to carry their burdens. Take action in the love of Christ!
b) If you are someone who has your own burdens that are too much for you to carry alone, consider telling someone else and asking for help.
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