Fulfillment

Carry each other’s burdens and so you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2, CEB)

Have you ever felt that your shoulders were too weak to bear someone else’s burdens? This is one reason God has made the church a family that you might bear each other’s burdens. God often uses our shoulders to lift someone else’s burden. We can all selfish by nature, and it’s easy to become focused only on our own needs.

But extending yourself to lift another’s burden will often lighten your own. There are always people around us who are hurting. Sometimes you see their needs, and sometimes the needs are so personal you never even know about them. But whether a person’s need is known or unknown, everyone has burdens. God gives a church the privilege of ministering to each other.

“Sometimes you don't realize the weight of a burden you've been carrying until you feel the weight of its release.” (Anonymous)

 

The word “burden” in the above verse comes from the Greek word baros. It refers to a weight that is heavy or crushing. The word baros could refer to either a physical or a spiritual problem. This type of pressing burden could be a habitual sin that has plagued you and weighed you down year after year. God may use you to bring real relief and freedom into someone’s situation. Perhaps just providing a listening ear is all that is needed to help that person get through his or her dilemma. Below are ways you can help lift another person’s burden:

Give Grace You may not know the full story of what someone is going through. You can often set opinions based on a snapshot from social media (or some other limited frame of reference). Why not instead simply assume there is more to the situation than you know?

Offer Prayer Prayer is not the least you can do. It is the greatest you can do. When was the last time you prayed for a person you we’re burdened for? Genuinely spend time interceding on their behalf. You may not know the full scope of what they are going through, but the Lord does. Ask the Lord to uphold and help them and to give you opportunity to be a minister of His grace to them.

Reach Out Send a note of encouragement perhaps a letter, e-mail, or a phone call. Rather than talking about someone to others, talk to them about your care and prayer. Ask how you can best pray. Share a word of encouragement. Be a minister of grace with your words to them. Here are some ideas to reach out.

·        Writing encouraging notes is a vital habit for anyone in ministry. It doesn’t need to be a long epistle. Just a few sentences that tell someone you love and appreciate them will uplift their spirit. Writing encouraging notes is a vital habit for anyone in ministry.

·        Practice saying an encouraging word to several people each day. Even a simple comment like, “You are a blessing to me” will encourage and strengthen a heart.

·        Train yourself to pay attention to the small things that others enjoy. Bringing a Sunday school student his favorite candy bar or slipping a restaurant gift card to a young couple are simple gifts that express affirmation and care.

·        Hospitality builds relationships, and relationships bear burdens. Opening your home to others is a form of opening your heart. It says, “I care about you, and I want to be personally involved in encouraging you.”

·        Maybe someone has a burden that you can help with. Could you babysit one afternoon for an overwhelmed mom? Could you mow the lawn for a widow? Could you help an unemployed dad get a job at your company? There’s nothing to lift another’s burden like helping to carry it.

 “Our job is to love people [even] when it hurts, when it's awkward, [and] when it's uncool and embarrassing. Our job is to stand together to carry the burdens of one another, and to meet each other in our questions.” (Jamie Tworkowski) [i]

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[i] Sources used:

·        “5 Ways to Lift the Burdens of Others” By Dr. Paul Chappell

·        “6 Ways to Lift Another’s Load” by Paul Chappell

·        “When to Help Bear Someone Else’s Burden” by Rick Renner