Bear one anothers Burdens ;) Don't Give up.

When I think of bearing one anothers burdens according to Galatians chapter 6, to me, it means to help others carry the load. This year for 2009 I have made a decision to not get tired in helping specific people carry the load. Here are some examples of what I am talking about. I have a very close relative who has been in a group home since the age of twelve. She is now going on 17 years old. She has been moved around, physically restrained, given court dates, run away, and withheld some humane privledges. She can only recieve certain things in the mail from me, and I am unable to call her. She has to call me. Sometimes I get frustrated because when she has time to call, I am usually tied up with something. And let's not even touch on the fact that she has a livid temper and most of her consequences are due to her own actions. Here's the bottom line for me though, this family member doesn't have many people to call or depend on, so if the minimum that I have to do is to answer the phone and have a 5 minute conversation with her (since that is all she is allowed) then maybe I need to set aside my own priorities for a greater good.

I also have a family member that was recently locked up. Although he probably deserved to be locked up, he is innocent until proven guilty (if you are like me sometimes you may give people their jail sentence before hearing the whole story). It's not that I beared his burden through paying for a lawyer, or going to visit him (lives a few states away). My husband and I decided to pray for him together and keep up with the proceedings from his court case. I think that the comfort his parents have in knowing that we sincerly care has made a huge difference. That is the true essence of bearing one anothers burdens.

Lastly, I have a very good friend of mines that has had a very rocky ride through school. She has cried, complained, become isolated and had to pull herself together from depression over the past 2 years. I cannot study for her, give her a hug whenever she needs it, or giving her the passing grade that she needs. But I do believe that a text during a rough day, a prayer, a card in the mail, or a checkup on important dates when big exams or papers are due always mean so much to her.

Bearing one anothers burdens is not about taking the load from people all the times, because if you can relate, you probably don't have the resources or energy to do double duty. But, you can take on the mentality that no matter what your friends or family members go through that you will be there for them and help out when you can. Sometimes this is in a small way, but the effect is great. Who is it in your life that you are slowly giving up on? who is that you have begun to doubt that anything good will or can come out of them? Last time I checked all things were possible with God. Don't give up so easy. You may just have the word of wisdom, the prayer, the letter, the song, or be the company they need in order to get rid of that load they have been carrying.