Burdens
by Ben Joiner on Feb.24, 2009, under Sunday Nights
Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load. Galations 6:1-5
In the discussion that came up last night of ways to practice the spiritual discipline of Service was the idea of ”bearing each others burdens”. I admit this tends to be one commandment that I’m not sure exactly how to apply. I’ve heard it said that this means -at the very least – empathizing with your brother when they are hurting. But to me, only doing this feels shallow. What do you think this commandment is actually requiring of us, and in what (practical) ways can we better live this out?
February 24th, 2009 on 2:21 pm
Something about taking some of the burden ONTO oneself, perhaps. Listening is good, very good. But, I’ve experienced that there’s something more than that. When you actually take that burdon ONTO yourself… You somehow make it so that the person is less alone, less desparate, less despairing – in a partnering sort of way. I think there is a big difference between empathizing and true burden bearing. At least I feel there has been at times.
There’s almost a- a sort of responsibility or role you take on in bearing another’s burdens, I think. It weighs on you in a way that comforts and supports and holds up the other. It’s not their hurt, it’s also yours, while at the same time, you can see with greater clarity, perhaps, because you’re not the one “in it,” whatever ‘it’ is. And perhaps you can help.
I don’t think I’m articulating what I mean. Maybe we’ll talk later…
February 26th, 2009 on 8:29 am
That’s a really good question. To me, the act of bearing another’s burden means I’m doing something tangible to feel the weight of carrying it. There’s a difference between looking at someone and saying “yup, that’s a burden, alright!” and coming alongside them to shift some of the weight on your shoulders. In practice, I think this looks like a deeper involvement in solving the issue causing the burden. Prayer, counseling the person with the burden, and doing what you can to solve the issue bring you into a partnership with the person who’s hurting. I feel like usually that’s not a depth most people have the time or willingness to explore.
As for the verse, it seems like the first half is talking about correction and the last few sentences deal with living with integrity. To me this is maybe talking about people who are carrying a burden due to sin and don’t realize the damage they’re doing, but that they shouldn’t rely solely on other people to carry them when they can live in truth and stand on their own two feet. There are limits and boundaries involved with carrying the pain of another.