How Heavy Is It? “One Another” -Part 4
It was seven years ago, but I remember as if it happened yesterday. I attended a large gathering with friends to hear a well-known speaker. Before he began to teach, he invited us to close our eyes so he could pray for us. I thought it would be a short prayer, but instead, he began to name difficulties, and asked us to raise our arm if that was our challenge, Specifically, he prayed from prodigals to marriages, then health issues and unemployment, from grief to aging parents, from conflicts to decisions. He continued and though I didn’t open my eyes to check the time, my arm ached. As he prayed, he acknowledged he was sure our arm ached, but that was his point–we were never intended to bear our burdens alone. Unknown to him, my dear friend Susan, sitting next to me, about midway through the prayer, gently held my arm up to alleviate the ache that had advanced to throbbing. Like Aaron and Hur who held up Moses’s arms because he was weary, (Exodus 17:12-14) she let me rest my arm on her open palm. No, she couldn’t take my burden, but she supported me.
So we come to another in our series of “one another”:
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2 ESV)
I can carry grocery bags into the house with ease but carrying bins down my attic steps-not so much. The weight and awkward size of my bins causes me to walk down steps slowly, measuring each step so I don’t fall. Sometimes I wonder if it’s worth it. The bins contain seasonal decorations, and I’ve questioned if I should bother changing décor. It’s tempting to forego the changes. If the bins are too heavy, I need help.
But there are other weights: significant burdens that weigh on us emotionally, mentally, or spiritually. What comes to mind as you see another with burdens of worry, sorrow, anxiety? Health issues or practical needs? Job loss? Yes, we are personally responsible to carry our own loads, and not make excuses, but some burdens are overwhelming. They may be our opportunities to lighten another’s load and shift the weight to move from awkward to safety, from the status quo to positive change.
We lighten loads when we help.
In Acts 11:27–30 the church at Antioch learned of a coming famine in Judea. Although they didn’t personally know these people, they took up collections to help. Their contribution lightened the load and gives an example of believers bearing one another’s burdens. Today, when we hear of natural disasters and know loads of rebuilding are heavy and costly, we respond to help carry the load.
When I relocated, friends helped carry my load unpacking and moving in. They lightened my emotional, physical, and mental burdens.
We lighten loads by encouraging.
My friend Donna often says how thankful she is our group of widows have “one another”. Companionship and mutual identification with struggles lighten our loads and we are “2 am friends” for each other.
A dear friend going through a life-interruption appreciates prayer even long -distance on the phone and through texts. We lighten loads by our presence, even when not face to face.
In our current crisis, we can’t fix, but we can encourage. Do you know someone alone or in one of the “at risk” categories? We can reassure and check in on them. We can be thoughtful and responsible when we shop for our needs, not anticipate filling our storage room. We respectfully follow health care guidelines and practices not out of fear, but as we do, we encourage each other in our responsibility and care for one another.
We lighten loads by refreshing.
A group of friends often cook dinner for families of chronically ill children who have moved here temporarily for treatment. Last night, grandparents told me, “It’s so good to have vegetables and a home-cooked meal, a change from fast food and restaurants.” Their gratitude was unmistakable. We couldn’t fix the status of their grandchild’s health, but a simple meal lightened their load for a few hours. “Those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed,” (Proverbs 11:25) and we were.
Our words matter. Words may not provide a solution, but they can encourage and give hope. In our current health crisis, much is unknown and daily life has dramatically changed. We can help bear each other’s burden of uncertainty by refraining from speaking fear and negativity, but choosing positive hopeful words,
Though we’d like to fix another’s problem or take it away, we often can’t. In life, we can’t always avoid troubles and go around them, but we can support and help one another go through. Offering practical help, prayer, and encouragement is often the difference between not seeing one’s way and missing steps, deciding to give up, or moving forward.
When we’re willing to enter another’s life and help carry their load, we meet a need and find treasures in unexpected places: the joy of seeing another’s sigh of relief, gratitude, or encouragement. Our life is lightened, as is theirs, when we focus on others. The second part of Galatians 6:2 reads, “and so fulfill the law of Christ”. What is that? “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:31 NIV)
Has someone lightened your load? How have you seen bearing another’s burdens?
The Conversation
Great reminder! It is always easy to only look at our needs instead of the needs of others. Kind and encouraging words go a long way with people. Thanks for sharing, Marilyn.
Thanks, Stephanie, for stopping by to read and comment. Marilyn
Focusing on the burdens of others takes our eyes off what troubles us and changes our perspective. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks K.A. Perpective, awareness, and support. Marilyn
What a refreshing post, Marilyn! Your words are an inspiring reminder that so many are there for us to carry our burdens (especially Jesus), but that we also have that opportunity to be the “burden bearer” for others. Loved your first story and how your friend, Susan, was there for you, to help hold your arm. Thanks for brightening my day–a ray of sunshine goes far to lighten our burdens.
You’re welcome, Katherine. What a time for us to look for opportunities, even if not in person, but remotely, to alleviate burdens and weights others carry. Marilyn
We were never intended to carry our burdens. Jesus tells us that that He will carry our burdens for us and as His hands and feet on this earth we are the ones that bring relief to those who are hurting. And they bring to us when we are burdened down too. Your post is timely and most needed. We should be on the lookout for those who are weighed down with care.
Exactly–we often carry baggage we were never intended to carry alone. Thanks for commenting and encouraging us to increase our awareness. Marilyn
The following sentence illustrates the blessing of helping others: “We lighten loads by refreshing.” Marilyn, your illustration of taking heavy bins down the steps stuck with me as I read. Preparing meals for families with chronically ill children is one of the most beautiful examples of “the church being the church,”the body of Christ, that I’ve heard recently. I’m going to ask God to make me sensitive to needs around me and give me opportunities to lighten the load of others. Thank you.
Jeannie, I know you lighten loads a lot! We have opportunities in this crisis that even with social distancing, we can support. Thanks for commenting and being an example. Marilyn
What a beautiful opening story, having a friend silently hold your aching arm up, knowing your many burdens. Lord, make me sensitive to the burdens of those around me so I can support them.
I have greatly enjoyed this series of one another. During this national emergency and social distancing we have to be especially creative about caring for one another. We can’t hug but we can stay in touch with a phone call. We can’t provide a meal but we can offer to deliver groceries.
Yes, Cathy, it was a treasured moment of support and love. Thank you for reading the series–timely to especially care for one another even with a Factime, text or call to help those who are isolated. It only takes our time. Marilyn
What a wonderful reminder of an acronym my adopted mama taught me many years ago. J-O-Y stands for Jesus, Others, You. She said it was a model for prayer, but it was also how we children were supposed to live out our lives. Put Jesus Christ first in our lives. care for others before yourself, then you’ll find that by the time to you to yourself, God has already taken care of most everything you need. 🙂 What a beautiful reminder ma’am. God’s blessings.
Thanks JD for adding to the conversation. Always appreciate your comments to give us more to think about. Marilyn
Your post is especially appropriate this week during these trying times we are all in the midst of. Loved it. It is especially relevant to me as I complete a post about the posture of our hands and heart.
I’m glad this post encouraged you and is a compliment to your thoughts. Support and encouragement is much needed now. Looking forward to reading yours. Marilyn
I remember a time when my heart was so afraid for one of my children. I shared my concerns with a godly friend who I knew was a prayer warrior. She prayed for me right then, and as she spoke to the Lord on my behalf, I felt the fear disappear. I’ll never forget that precious gift.
Isn’t it amazing how simple words and a prayer can lighten our load. I expect we will have many opportunities to do that in coming days. Marilyn
I love how you pointed out that there are different ways to lighten someone’s load. It’s not always taking over for someone. Sometimes it’s encouragement or building them up in some other way. This is a great post, Thank you.
Thanks Josh. I’m hoping in these uncertain times, we can look for creative and individual ways to lift others up. Marilyn
Beautiful imagery of bearing each others’ burdens. Thanks for encouraging us readers to encourage others.
Thank you Deborah for joining our conversation. Praying you are encouraged. Marilyn
[…] can encourage one another (last week’s post). We can connect with a call, text, email to check in. Do you know a mom at home with children now […]