Bearing One Another’s Burdens in The Church
I recently had a stomach bug and was home alone. My roommate was out of town still for the holidays, and I didn’t know what I was going to do. Yet it was so encouraging to see how members of our church rallied around me. Several brought over meals and various things I needed while I recovered. Others reached out to check in and let me know that they were praying for me. While this was thankfully a short-lived burden, it still reminded me of just how beautiful it is to see the law of Christ be fulfilled in how we pursue those who may be struggling, weak, or discouraged.
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ… So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” - Galatians 6:2, 10
“For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” - Galatians 5:14
As we live in a broken world, we are promised that we will go through suffering and face many hardships. Yet you and I are not the only ones who face this difficulty, but so does every other individual on this earth. As a believer, we are called to be a light and reflect the Gospel by how we care for those around us and share in their burdens, especially within the church. If you’re like me, you probably have felt unsure of how to do this well. How do I care for someone if I can’t relate to their pain or struggle? How do I not get overwhelmed by the weight of bearing so many burdens? What does it even mean to bear someone’s burdens? While I still have much to learn, the Lord is continuously teaching me through His Word, Spirit, and people what Gospel care within the local church should look like. There is far too much to say on this topic than can be said in a blog post, but I would like to share an acronym that may be helpful as you look to grow in bearing one another’s burdens. In order to bear burdens well, we must C.A.R.E.
C: Cast these burdens upon the Lord
“Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” - 1 Peter 5:7
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” - Matthew 11:28-30
While we are called to bear these burdens, we are not called to do this alone. On the contrary, Christ calls us to give them to Him. A friend once told me that someone had shared with her that they didn’t want to overwhelm her with their problems, knowing she was already dealing with a lot herself. I was so encouraged by my friend’s profound response. She told her, “The reason why I can bear these burdens for you is because I’m carrying them to the Lord and He’s bearing them for the both of us.” On our own, the weight of sin and brokenness is too much. Yet because of the Good News of Jesus Christ, we have access to the greatest Friend and most caring Father. As you walk forward in bearing burdens for those around you, more than anything you can do or say, bring these people before the Lord. Confess that you cannot carry this on your own, and ask Him for His help and guidance. This is not a one-time occasion, but a daily dependence on the Lord. Has someone shared something very heavy with you? Are you overwhelmed by the weight of sin as you pursue a wayward friend? Are you grieved by the amount of people that are hurting around you? Bring these cares before the Lord, and leave them at His feet. He cares deeply for you and the people you are laboring alongside, and will provide rest for your souls when you come to Him.
A: Actively show up
“Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that had come upon him, they came each from his own place… And they raised their voices and wept, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads towards heaven. And they sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great.” - Job 2:11, 13
“If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled.’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?” - James 2:15-16
When two people are a part of the same local church, what affects one should also affect the other. How is this possible? Because we actively are showing up and doing life with one another. If you continue to read Job, I wouldn’t recommend responding in the same way they do later in the book. However, there is something to be admired by the way they initially sat with Job in the midst of the suffering, and were grieved as well. A lot of times, what people need is the ministry of presence. A faithful friend who sits with us reminds us that our God is always present. Actively showing up means also listening to your brother or sister who is burdened, and truly hearing what they say and don’t say. Although it is not our responsibility to read minds, we can go the extra mile of asking them what their spiritual, emotional, and physical needs are. A lot of times in the midst of difficulty, there is such comfort we can give by leaning in and taking care of a mundane task. Perhaps offer to bring a meal, wash laundry, babysit their kids, or help out with work around the house. In being a caring brother or sister, may you ultimately point them to their caring God who provides.
R: Respond in Gospel truth
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” - 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
A lot of times our brothers and sisters around us in the church are facing problems that we have no experience with. It can feel daunting to figure out what to say, and so instead, we are distant out of fear. Yet we have such a gift in the comfort of Christ. More than any piece of advice you can offer, what our friends truly need to hear is the hope of the Gospel and the comfort of their Savior. No matter what we have faced, if we have experienced comfort in Jesus, then He has given us what we need to come alongside our brother or sister who is struggling with hardships or sin. While you might not be able to relate, recount how Christ has been faithful to you, and point your fellow believer to the hope that is also available to them in Jesus.
E: Endure through the storms and clear skies
“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” - 1 Corinthians 13:7
“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” - Proverbs 17:17
We typically can forget that grief, hardship, and bearing burdens come in waves. While it may be easy to be all in on bearing burdens for the first few weeks or months, continue to check in on your brothers and sisters over the long haul. Continue to press in and pursue those who may be weak in their faith. As the verses say above, “love endures all things” and “A friend loves at all times”. If we know that God will never leave us nor forsake us, how can we reflect that to those around us in our local context? Perhaps when someone you know is walking through hardship, put a reminder in your phone to check in every few weeks or months. Be mindful of anniversaries and try to check in specifically on ones that might be more significant or painful. May this ultimately point those near us to the steadfastness of God.
May we all continue to grow in caring for one another’s burdens, especially in the family Christ has entrusted us with through the local church. As we press on, may this reflect the character of Christ and fulfill the law of love, as is only possible through the grace of Jesus.