Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2).
Interesting how Paul says this right after talking about confronting a brother in sin. Whaddaya think? Connected, maybe?
Nah…
Yeah…
Remember that person in sin, the one you’re trying to rescue?
They’re trapped.
They’re struggling under a burden of doubt, of fear, of ignorance, of mistrust–you name it. You can’t just ride in like Sir Knight, slay the sin dragon, and ride off to the next adventure. You need to follow through.
You need to stay.
If God has called you to intervene, he has called you to do some heavy lifting.
Somehow–through prayer, through encouragement, through accountability, through instruction in the Word–you need to shoulder some of that load and help carry it to the foot of the Cross. The warrior must beat his sword into a plow and spend a little time working the soil.
It isn’t easy–which is why we don’t dive heedlessly into another person’s life.
But it is necessary.
Hey, if we were meant to do this alone, our hands wouldn’t fit together so well.
Happy Tuesday, Beloved.
God has steadily been teaching me this over and over in the last few years.
Sometimes I feel like Mr. Incredible, “No matter how many times you save the world, it always manages to get back in jeopardy again. Sometimes I just want it to stay saved! You know, for a little bit? I feel like the maid; I just cleaned up this mess! Can we keep it clean for… for ten minutes!”
And yet, none of it IS me. My ability to stay with this family that I’m helping…it isn’t in my power and they are not being saved THROUGH me even though for this moment I am called to hold space for them. But I am called to love them, even when they are unlovely. I am called to gently, kindly, show them another way.
And I’m blessed right here in the middle of the hard stuff. And so thankful for my praying friends.