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Burden Bearing

Burden Bearing

Words of Faith 7-8-19

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2019

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL

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Galatians 6

[2] Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 

 

      One of the unique marks of Christian community is the sharing of burdens.  In the most literal sense, the word here means removal, but it is broader in scope, to include lifting and enduring burdens with another.  The clear understanding of the language here is that because we are one Body in Christ, burdens are not given to individuals but to the larger fellowship.

       Of course, this can be applied to the simplest of tasks serving in the Body with a helping hand.  Many hands make light work.  We know that.  We also know that the financial burdens of ministry are shared among those who faithfully tithe and give offerings.  But there is much more here.

      Paul calls the believer to carry the daily burdens of life that are emotional, spiritual, and even financial.  The truth is that the hard roads of life were not intended for us to journey alone.  We were not designed or intended to bear the weight of heavy grief or disappointment alone.  We are not intended to go through significant loss alone. We are not expected to deal with hard family situations alone.  We are to bear one another's burdens.  This is the Body of Christ.

        This is especially true for the burdens of temptation and moral failure that Paul has just discussed.  The Enemy gains a great victory when we are convinced by the lie that other Christians do not experience such things.  How sad that we can find ourselves most isolated at the very times when we need Christian support the most. 

       If someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted, but don't abandon him!  And certainly, don't isolate yourself at the time when you need gentle restoration.

       Paul says that this is what love is really all about.  Bearing the tough burdens fulfills the law of Christ.  He is talking about real love.  Easy love is the hug-on-Sunday sweet love.  There is nothing wrong with a friendly greeting, but the problematic place for love is when a friend confides a failure that you would rather not hear about.  Deep love hangs in there with people when they face the worst stuff of their lives.  Tough love walks with a brother or sister through the fire and then sees them through to the other side.

        This fulfills the law of Christ.  Jesus said: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another" (John 13:34).  Christ Jesus bore the burden of our sin.  He bore the burden of our cross.  He bore the burden of our death.  We are commanded to bear one another's burdens and love one another in the same way that He has loved us. 

        Is there someone near you who is burdened? Is there a need you have been deliberately ignoring?  Is there a burden that you can help share... and bear?  It might be just some help needed with the kids or some encouragement at a difficult time.  It might be the financial need of a ministry or a family.  It might be the longer walk of gentle healing and restoration.  It may be the journey of grief and loss.  Whatever the case, carry each other's burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ. 

 

       Father God, help my eyes to be opened to the burdens that are upon the Body of Christ.  Help me to share those burdens.  Give me the grace to walk the hard journeys and tough places with those You are healing and restoring.  In Jesus' Name.

 

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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, and our website, and our church app, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2010 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.  

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