Carry each otther's burdens... The passage begins with a command that we, as the Body of Christ, are commanded to be there for one another. As of lately the Lord has been using this passion as a major conviction on my life. Am I living Galatians 6:2? No. Not every day and not in every situation...so when I begin to evaluate this command I am reminded of why the world often doesn't see HIM in me. John 13:34-35 says, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." OUCH! When we love others as is His design ALL men will know that I am His disciple and therefore they will see Christ IN me. I've had the conversation all too often recently. The conversation with friends, family, Sunday School friends, Teens, co-workers and customers, Brothers and Sisters in Christ. I've spoken of my conviction on this matter, the conviction that I am not living Galatians 6:2 that I am not walking alongside my Brothers and Sisters in Christ as I have been commanded, and I am often met with blank stares - people not understanding. But when I talk with a multitude of people and they are all saying the same thing SOMETHING IN ME MUST CHANGE. I must be called to action once again - I must get up and refuse to sit back and do nothing!
You know the conversation, if you are a believer you may have had it too....the conversation where you learn that the Brother or Sister that you are talking to doesn't trust anyone, they feel alone, they feel insignificant, they put on the smile and fake the 'I'm fine' and WE believe them. We nod our heads and we move on. Because in all honesty we don't know how to respond when someone is honest with us because for too long we have gone about using our 'I'm fine's' to hide our true feelings - the I'm angry, depressed, struggling, failing, unhappy, not good feelings. We don't want to admit that we too struggle because we feel like we are the only ones and we feel alone - so we just make peace that we will live independently and that we need NO one.
I'm sorry but I find nothing Biblical about this stance at ALL. I don't find anywhere in His Word where He calls us to hide. Its not there. He has never called us to live life alone. Over and over again He encourages us, commands us to come alongside one another AS THE BODY OF CHRIST. Galatians 6:2, Proverbs 17:17, John 13:34-35. In fact in scripture we see where people actually bring their friends to Christ. They bring them coming alongside them, carrying them or leading them to the throne.
I'm often discouraged that we IN the Body of Christ feel the need to put on our smiling faces and walk into Church because the Church was never created for that - the Church, the Body of Christ, was meant for a place of healing, a place for us to walk alongside each other.
In all honesty, I don't know how to walk beside others much of the time - my heart hurts so badly and I don't know what 'walking beside them' looks like. Often being separated by cities, counties, states and countries makes it even harder but Galatians doesn't give me a list of times or place or situation in which carrying other's burdens is appropriate - I can't justify WHY I don't do it because I've been commanded to. Commanded to walk alongside Brothers and Sisters in Christ, commanded to pray for them and walk with them into healing that ONLY HE CAN PROVIDE.
It is my prayer that on this journey
I will learn how to live a Galatians 6:2 lifestyle where I daily Carry other's burdens and fulfill the Law of Christ.
