Galatians 6:2 (NIV)
"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."
Carry one another's burdens - Okay, I can live with that! Sign me up!..... Um, what exactly does that mean? I have been pondering this verse lately, as it is clear here and elsewhere in Scripture that we as Christians are called to bear eachother's burdens. The thing is, I still am not sure that I have a firm, concrete grasp on the concept.
You see, I have a friend right now who is burdened. It hurts me deeply to see them in such pain. It brings me to tears to see their sorrow and confusion. I have begged God to let me carry their fear, their pain, their sorrow, their doubt and uncertainty. If there was a way to physically take it all away and bear it, believe me, I would. But even if there was a way to just lighten the load a little bit, I would take that too. I should move on and make my point before the tears come, unbidden, once again.
I want to know what you think, (anyone who actually reads this thing). What does bearing one another's burdens entail? Is it truly a physical bearing of burdens? - like what Christ did on Calvary, where He carried my sin, shame, sorrow, and brokenness? Is it "sharing the load" by helping in any way they need? Is it simply being there, and carrying them before the Lord in prayer?
What do you think? I am interested to see what you have to say! =)
Let's look at the context of the verse -- that will help us to dig deeper :)
ReplyDelete"Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the Law of Messiah. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself." Galations 6:1-3
There's a couple of key words here. Transgression, tempted, burdens, Law of Messiah.
If anyone is caught transgressing what? The Law of Yahweh. Watch yourself, lest you be tempted to do what? Break Yahweh's Law. What burdens then are we bearing? It is the burden of struggling with sin, which is lawlessness. This fulfills the Law of the Messiah, which is what? The same Law it always has been, which He summarized as such:
"Hear, O Israel, Yahweh our Elohim, Yahweh is One. You shall love Yahweh your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." -Mark 12:29-31
I have found myself struggling with the burden of my sins before. Don't get me wrong, I know Yeshua forgave them all and lifted that burden from me. But I mean when we are struggling with sin, like an addiction. I've had addictions myself, and though I knew I was free from sin through Yeshua, and that He had forgiven me, it was still a struggle...a burden, if you will, to stop sinning. I think that's what this verse is talking about. That's why it says to watch yourself, lest you be tempted also. That's why it's talking about someone caught in sin. That's why it says watch yourself, for if you think you're something when you're nothing, you're decieving yourself. Nobody is above temptation.
So that's the meaning I pull from that verse. :)