Burden Bearing: Your Own And Others’

BURDEN-BEARING
Your Own And Others’

Greatest Burden Lifted!
As true believers in Jesus Christ, saved by His death and resurrection, we not only have the blessings of salvation, but also the privilege of being members of God’s family and ambassadors of the Lord in this world (2 Cor. 5:20).

Before salvation we were under judgment for sin and burdened with guilt, shame and emptiness. The only one who could fill the emptiness and take away the burden of sin was the Man, Christ Jesus, who came into the world as the only mediator between God and man (1 Tim. 2:5). Only He could reconcile us to God: “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Mt. 11:28-30 NIV).

What a tremendous blessing, to have our sins forgiven and have peace with God!

Coping With Life’s Burdens
In spite of having the burden of sin and guilt removed, there are many other burdens for us to bear as we travel life’s pathway. There are the emotional weights brought on by certain situations, family problems, and the responsibility of providing for various needs. There are interpersonal relationships strained by misunderstandings, differences of opinion and the pressures of life. There are personal burdens resulting from wrong attitudes and bad decisions. Two of the hardest burdens to bear are the sudden death or terminal illness of a loved one. How can we cope with situations that normally result in depression, despair or disillusionment?

David was persecuted for years by King Saul, but could still say, “Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens” (Ps. 68:19). Paul had a life of persecution and hardship (2 Cor. 12:23-33; 12:7-10), but could recommend Jesus as the perfect burden bearer, because his experiences proved that nothing was too hard or heavy for the Lord. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6-7). Peter also experienced the Lord’s help in trials and could write, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:7).

It’s always easier to say we should cast all our cares upon Him than to actually do it when the crisis comes. I remember the emptiness I felt when our two-year-old son climbed a marble-topped bookcase. It fell on him and killed him instantly. My wife and I were two weeks from completing our Spanish studies at a language institute in Costa Rica, in preparation for missionary service in Colombia. We thought: “How could God let this happen? Didn’t He promise never to leave us nor forsake us? If He can’t protect our children in peaceful Costa Rica, how can we trust Him in violent Colombia?” I felt confused and fearful that God was unable to care for us as He promised.

Before the funeral, many of the other students sought to comfort us in our pain and anguish. However, some of the things they said – such as, “He’s with the Lord which is much better” and “We understand how you feel” – just didn’t help. I thought, “How can this be better? How can you know how I feel?” There seemed to be more comfort from those who just embraced us, cried with us and sat with us saying nothing. Through them the love, compassion and warmth of the Savior was shining on us!

It wasn’t until the funeral service, when a beam of sunlight came through the chapel window onto the face of our little boy in the casket, that a tangible peace came over my wife and me. It was beyond description! At that moment, we sensed that God was in control, that He had a purpose in all that had happened. The peace was so profound that I was able to tell the congregation the reality of Jesus’ promise: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (Jn. 14:27).

Our trials will strengthen our faith, and give us a far deeper appreciation of the Lord than we could ever get when life is all smooth sailing. “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls” (1 Pet. 1:6-9).

God is there for us in all the trials of our lives, but we need to wait on Him and accept the comfort He provides through His Word and through the caring (though sometimes bungling) efforts of those who comfort us.

Many years later in Colombia when our lives were threatened by guerrilla revolutionaries, we lived for months as though each day might be our last. However, during that time we were encouraged daily by God’s Word. Verses spoke directly to our need, and it was the Lord telling us to trust Him. “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea” (Ps. 46:1-2). “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you” (Ps. 50:15). “Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for You are my rock and my fortress. Deliver me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of evil and cruel men. For You have been my hope, O Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth” (Ps. 70:3-5). Verses like these became real to us and gave us renewed confidence to trust the Lord.

The Bible became the “living” Word to us as God used it to speak directly to our hearts in the midst of trouble. It brought us comfort, peace, confidence and hope. Verses, that in the past had pertained to biblical characters or situations, became messages for us. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Josh. 1:9). He gave us peace in the center of the storm. I had often preached about the Lord coming to His disciples as they toiled through the night in the storm on the sea of Galilee. When He entered their boat He brought peace and calmed the storm. He doesn’t always take away the storms of life, but He does give us peace as we weather the storms. At that time I proved the reality of what had previously been theoretical.

God is there in our hour of need, but we must be open to hear His voice and allow Him to speak to us through others and through the Word itself. In difficult times some become discouraged, stop praying and stop reading Scripture. But in tough times we need to persevere even more in Bible reading and in prayer, even if we do not have a sense of God’s presence.

Bearing Other’s Burdens
Both David and Paul used their experiences of depending on the Lord in their trials to encourage others. They saw how the Lord protected them and used their difficult situations to strengthen their faith and fulfill His purposes through them. David wrote many psalms which have encouraged thousands through the ages. Paul emphasized the need to help others by sharing how God helped us. “Praise be to ... the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer” (2 Cor. 1:3-6).

Jesus said to His disciples, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father” (Jn. 14:12). He told them that He would not leave them as orphans, but would send the Holy Spirit to live in them and empower them to act as His representatives.

When we were born again into the family of God, Scripture says that the Holy Spirit came into our lives (Rom 8:9; 1 Cor. 6:19; Eph. 1:13; 4:30). One of the purposes of the indwelling Spirit is to form the character of Christ in us. “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:18). As we examine the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22, we readily see that each virtue in its essence describes the character of Christ. This means that as the Spirit’s fruit is seen in us it is really showing Christ in our lives. As we review the life of Jesus in the Gospels, we read that on seeing the crowds with all their problems, He had compassion on them. We also should have the same compassion for others. When we see a need, we should do what we can to bear that burden. “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Gal. 6:10). Paul wrote the Corinthians, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1). He also told the Ephesians, “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Eph. 5:1-2).

How can we practically show the love of Christ? How can we really fulfill the Galatians 6:2 command to “carry each other’s burdens, and in this way ... fulfill the law of Christ”? Obviously, this is not referring to the burden of sin which only the Lord can take away. There are different Greek words translated as “burden.” They vary in meaning, but basically convey the idea of trouble, weight, something carried, labor, toil, pain, distress, affliction or difficulty. In other words, the burdens of life.

We can’t carry everyone’s burdens, but we can look around us to see who has a practical need, is depressed, needs a friend, has a family problem, or is sick? We don’t have to look far to see that people all around us are suffering. If we could only see through the Lord’s eyes and with His compassion, we would want to help. We may feel inadequate, but we should realize that most of life’s burdens are common to all of us. The Lord has promised us that there will always be a way to bear the burden and not collapse under it. “No temptation (“trial” amp) has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” (1 Cor. 10:13).

This is where our own experiences can come to our aid. When we recognize a specific trial through which we also have passed, we can better relate to the need of the person going through a similar trial. I have found that I can relate much better now to someone dealing with cancer. For four years my wife battled cancer – with all the hopes and fears that go along with treatment, remission and recurrence – before finally succumbing to that dreadful disease and moving on to her heavenly home. It’s surprising just how many times the Lord has led me to someone with a similar burden, for empathy, prayer and encouragement.

You too can use your experiences to help others realize that the Lord is with them, even though the valley is dark and fearful. If you don’t know what to say, don’t say anything. A big hug and shared tears may be just what is needed. Sitting quietly with the one bearing the burden can comfort them and bring a sense of the Lord’s presence. But avoid spiritual clichés which can have the opposite effect and take away from your effort to reach out to the suffering one. It may be that a visit or word of encouragement is all that’s needed by someone who feels lonely, or is bedridden because of sickness. But however we reach out with love and compassion, we will be demonstrating the character of Christ as we share the burden. He will use our effort to encourage and bless others.

By Ian Taylor