Bear One Another's Burdens...

by Elizabeth Stewart

We had a girl's group in the church I grew up in and this verse about bearing one another's burdens was our theme. The need to bear the burdens of others is something important to remember, but, obviously, even more important to take action and to do. But, lately I've been thinking about the fact that you can't bear someone's burdens if they won't let you-if they refuse to share the load.

For many of us, reaching out for help when we need it is a struggle. This is especially true if you are raised in an atmosphere where self sufficiency was emphasized and weakness was discouraged.  Pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps may have then become your default setting. But, what happens when that doesn't work-when you don't have the strength to pull yourself up-when you can't even find your dog gone boots, much less pull yourself up by the bootstraps?

Of course, we know that our preeminent Burden Bearer is Christ. We can go to Him with every care, need and struggle. Yet, we also read throughout the Bible that the body of Christ is a body made up of parts that are interconnected and interdependent. Something in those of us who were raised in an atmosphere of self-sufficiency almost recoils at the thought of being dependent on someone else.  We accept that we are to be burden bearers for others and can accept that they are dependent on us, but for us to admit to ourselves that we need to depend on someone else is to us a sign of weakness. We can humble ourselves enough to admit that we are dependent on Christ, but can struggle to humble ourselves enough to ask for help from others. This is me. This is my struggle. As a ministry leader I'm used to others asking me to help bear their burdens, but I have a very hard time asking for help for myself. Part of the struggle is the result of hurts and disappointments in those I trusted to help and support me in the past. Much of the struggle is my own stubborn pride that insists I can just handle everything myself and my pride prevents me from admitting my need for help.

Obviously, trust is a big issue.  Most of us have been hurt, disappointed or betrayed by someone that we thought we could trust and depend on to be there for us in our time of need. To bare our hearts to just anyone indiscriminately is foolish. However, there comes a time when the burden is heavy enough that you feel crushed under the load. You know that you have to take that risk to trust again.  Ask God to lead you to someone with a proven track record of discretion, trustworthiness, and God-given wisdom. Ask them to be a listening ear, ask them for prayer, ask them for help and support. Let them help to bear your burden. I think that you will be glad you did. I know that I am.

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