BEARING BURDENS FOR OTHERS
Paul tells us in Galatians 6:2 that we should bear one another’s burdens, encourage others, and try to make life easier for them. This does not necessarily mean we pay their gas bill or buy them groceries, although at times God may lead us to do those very things.
Bearing someone’s burdens means we empathize with them and pray for them to have strength to go on. We praise them for their efforts to live for Jesus. We encourage them when they seem downhearted. It means giving someone an extra hug or a smile when we see they look discouraged.
We all remember those times when we were trying our best to do right, but we faced hurdles we couldn’t overcome. Then someone’s smile or word of encouragement lifted our spirit and helped us plod onward.
Many people find it difficult to bear someone else’s burdens. They may think they have enough burdens of their own, or they may feel they are in competition with others and really don’t want them to succeed. You might not admit it, but when you see someone praised for a good deed, do you immediately think of the ways they have failed in the past?
Such people with negative outlooks on life will always be somewhat depressed. They hold peoples’ failures and mistakes against them. They cannot rejoice when someone else is applauded, because they wish they themselves were the one being praised.
Life is not meant to be a continual competition to see who is the best. We are all in the struggle of life together, and we need to give one another encouragement and praise. In return, someday another person may encourage us during a difficult experience and help us go on.
Yes, Scripture also says, "... every man shall bear his own burden" (Gal. 6:5). There are some private burdens that others will never know about, and we must carry them alone, depending on God for help. But we are specifically commanded to "bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ" in verse 2 of that same chapter. It is not the ten commandments we are trying to fulfill, but the law of Christ, which is to love one another and show it in our actions.
Are you quick to say "Thank you" when someone helps you? Are you just as quick to say "I’m sorry," when you realize you have hurt someone’s feelings? Or do you just think they will figure it out if you start treating them nicely the rest of the day? We need to hear our friends say "I’m sorry I did that," not just hope they are sorry or wonder why they can’t apologize in words.
When we see someone do a kind deed, we can make their day so much brighter if we would only say, "That was thoughtful of you." It takes humility to tell a friend, "You do that so well," because we may wish people would recognize us more. But God doesn’t honor the proud in heart.
Life is not a competition, but a race where we all hold hands and help those who fall, so that we can rejoice together along the way.
Paul tells us in Galatians 6:2 that we should bear one another’s burdens, encourage others, and try to make life easier for them. This does not necessarily mean we pay their gas bill or buy them groceries, although at times God may lead us to do those very things.
Bearing someone’s burdens means we empathize with them and pray for them to have strength to go on. We praise them for their efforts to live for Jesus. We encourage them when they seem downhearted. It means giving someone an extra hug or a smile when we see they look discouraged.
We all remember those times when we were trying our best to do right, but we faced hurdles we couldn’t overcome. Then someone’s smile or word of encouragement lifted our spirit and helped us plod onward.
Many people find it difficult to bear someone else’s burdens. They may think they have enough burdens of their own, or they may feel they are in competition with others and really don’t want them to succeed. You might not admit it, but when you see someone praised for a good deed, do you immediately think of the ways they have failed in the past?
Such people with negative outlooks on life will always be somewhat depressed. They hold peoples’ failures and mistakes against them. They cannot rejoice when someone else is applauded, because they wish they themselves were the one being praised.
Life is not meant to be a continual competition to see who is the best. We are all in the struggle of life together, and we need to give one another encouragement and praise. In return, someday another person may encourage us during a difficult experience and help us go on.
Yes, Scripture also says, "... every man shall bear his own burden" (Gal. 6:5). There are some private burdens that others will never know about, and we must carry them alone, depending on God for help. But we are specifically commanded to "bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ" in verse 2 of that same chapter. It is not the ten commandments we are trying to fulfill, but the law of Christ, which is to love one another and show it in our actions.
Are you quick to say "Thank you" when someone helps you? Are you just as quick to say "I’m sorry," when you realize you have hurt someone’s feelings? Or do you just think they will figure it out if you start treating them nicely the rest of the day? We need to hear our friends say "I’m sorry I did that," not just hope they are sorry or wonder why they can’t apologize in words.
When we see someone do a kind deed, we can make their day so much brighter if we would only say, "That was thoughtful of you." It takes humility to tell a friend, "You do that so well," because we may wish people would recognize us more. But God doesn’t honor the proud in heart.
Life is not a competition, but a race where we all hold hands and help those who fall, so that we can rejoice together along the way.
posted by Rosemary @ 7:22 AM
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