Bearing One Another’s Burdens
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)
For today’s spiritual blog, I will explore what it means to bear one another’s burdens. For the past couple of months, our church family has been engaged in an intense season of intercessory prayer for two families with loved ones in life-or-death physical trials. We have seen God move in many miraculous ways, and now, two of the three people have been released from the hospital. We praise God for that!
However, the healing journey doesn’t just stop once they are released from the hospital. Our prayers and support shouldn’t stop either once they are no longer in critical condition because the battle is not over.
One thing this journey has taught me is that much of the healing is not related to dealing with the traumatic event but rather the thoughts and emotions that the event created in our hearts and souls.
For me, the most challenging part of the healing process was not the sexual abuse I experienced but the questions, doubts, wrong thinking, and emotions that resulted from the abuse.
It was grappling with questions like: “Was God punishing me?”, “What did I do to deserve this?” “Does God really love me?” “If He loves me, why didn’t He keep this from happening to me?” “Why did He allow me to suffer for years if He loved me like He said in His Word?” “Where was God when I was suffering in the night watches?”
These questions might be hard for you to read, but they are very common for those experiencing any kind of suffering.
Many sufferers feel guilty or ashamed that they have these questions because they equate it with not being spiritual, so they try to hide it and do not acknowledge the questions that are eating away at their soul and relationship with the Lord.
It is challenging to reconcile how an ALL-POWERFUL, ALL-LOVING God allows suffering in the lives of those who belong to Him. The tornado of thoughts happens after the crisis has passed, so we must continue our compassionate burden-bearing ministry beyond the traumatic event.
The period after the traumatic event is an extremely spiritually vulnerable time for most sufferers, but it is also a critical and beautiful opportunity to guide hurting others to a deeper relationship with the Lord.
As a church body, we can come alongside those suffering and help bear the weight of the burdens these questions create.
Bearing the burdens of others is not solely the physical burdens, though that is part of it. It is also the spiritual, mental, and emotional burdens.
We all have an area of giftedness from the Lord. God may have equipped some to provide financially; others minister through acts of service (i.e., taking care of the children, mowing the lawn, providing a meal, etc.); and some have been uniquely equipped through their own suffering to hold sacred space without judgment to allow sufferers to ask the questions of their heart and point them to the Lord and His Word for answers.
When we are suffering, we don’t need people preaching to us or quoting scripture like a doctor prescribes medicine.
We need people who will be WITH us, who will listen to the questions and hurts of our hearts, who will pray and lament with us while allowing us to pour out our complaints to the Lord. We need people who don’t judge us for having questions and yet reflect the love of God to us. We need people to remind us of Biblical truth when our emotions or thoughts do not align with God’s Word.
“Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” (Romans 12:15)
For those of you who are suffering, I want you to know that you are NOT alone. God has not left or abandoned you. He sees you and knows the thoughts and questions of your heart. He is not afraid of your questions. He wants you to bring them to Him, to pour out your heart to Him so He can begin the healing journey. When you turn toward Him in your pain, He will heal the hurting of your soul, and you will come to know Him in a way you never knew was possible.
To the family of God, we are commanded to bear the burdens of those suffering. What is your role in that ministry? Has God equipped you to financially provide for the needs of others? Has God given you a heart to perform acts of service for those who are suffering? Has God uniquely equipped you through your own suffering (2 Corinthians 1:3–4) to walk alongside others and share with them the comfort God has given you?
Whatever your gift, God expects you to use it for His service. What are the biggest and boldest action steps you can take to serve others? What is the smallest, most immediate step you can take? What intention will you set in bearing the burdens of others?
“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35)
