Today’s Bible Journaling verse is Galatians 6:2, “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” (KJV) God directs us to help each other out. He tells us that it fulfills the Law of Christ. In Matthew 22:36-40, someone asked Jesus what the greatest commandment was, and He said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (KJV) Love for each other must be evident in the lives of Believers, one way to show it is by helping when life seems too heavy to take.
According to J. Vernon McGee in his commentary, the Greek word for burden is “baros”, which means something heavy. He states that there are many types of burdens. Some burdens can be classified as a fault, something Spiritual they may be dealing with. It can be a sin or failing they are having trouble winning the victory over. We can help them, especially if we have been in the same difficulty, by praying and sharing how God helped us through it. Galatians 6:1 tells us, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.” (KJV) Showing them compassion and helping them restore their relationship with the Lord shows God’s love to them and we help carry the burden of a broken Spiritual relationship.
There is the burden of tension. When the interaction between two people causes discord, there is tension between them, and sometimes if the tension is in a group, the whole group feels it. We can help someone who is feeling that tension by praying for them and maybe be a catalyst for peace between the parties. We are called to be peacemakers, and when we share the burden of tension between those who have had a falling out, we also bring peace to the situation and relieve the burden for all involved.
Then there is the burden of grief. When someone has experienced the loss of a family member or close friend, we can come alongside them, undergird them in prayer, and be a presence in their life to help them through the dark days. That can take many forms. Sometimes being there quietly supports them, allowing them just to cry. We don’t always need to say anything, just to let them know we are there, loving them through their time of grief, is all they may need at that moment. When Job went through his trial, before his friends started giving their “advice,” they sat quietly with him and allowed him to grieve over what he had lost. Sometimes that’s all that is needed.
Just letting someone know we are praying for their situation lifts their burden just a bit. It lets them know they don’t have to deal with this on their own, we are lifting them and undergirding them in prayer as they go through their trial. It lifts the burden from them and helps them bear it easier. We can help bring them comfort in a difficult situation. Bearing one another’s burdens is how we show love to them, and as we love others, the light of Jesus shines through.
donnasmusings 