Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important. Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct. (Galatians 6:2-5 NLT)
We all have burdens. Some have a physical handicap, chronic sickness, or some abnormality you cannot change. Some have spiritual burdens. It may be that the enemy has struck your life and the surge of sin has soaked your soul, and now you are suffering spiritual consequences. Some have emotional burdens like depression or anxiety, a heartache over some loss, or a financial reversal. We all have problems and cares, and they weigh down upon us like a burden on the back.
Pastor Jerry Shirley answers the question “What do I do with my burdens?” He basically says,
Some burdens are meant to be SHARED, some burdens are meant to be SHOULDERED, and some burdens are meant to be SHED.
1. Some Burdens Are Meant To Be Shared [by others]
V. 2 tells us to share each other's burdens.
What are we to share?
•Faults and failures of others - v.1.
Rather than pointing our fingers at those who stumble we should be encouraging and strengthening one another when it comes to faults and failures.
V. 2 tells us that we need to share one another's burdens. The only thing which will keep us from doing that is to think that you yourself are above ever needing this help.
There are people like that…they feel they are God’s gift to the church and to humanity, and actually feel good about themselves when others fall…which is self-righteousness, or “value by comparison.” This is self-deception. We all need each other at times.
•Sorrow and grief
At any given time at NLC we have someone under a heavy load of grief. We have many great services but always there’s someone present going thru an awful time.
Be kind to everyone for everyone has sorrow of some kind. Tragedy, sorrow, disappointment, depression, and grief will eventually visit the house of every person.
Some are to be shared by others, but…
2. Some Burdens Are Meant To Be Shouldered [alone]
For we are each responsible for our own conduct. (Galatians 6:5 NLT)
There are some burdens which no one else can help you with.
Examples of burdens to be shouldered:
•Consequences of personal sin
We live in a day and time in which people want to sin and ignore the consequences. [avoid them] We’re in a mess today as we don’t take personal responsibility for the choices that we make! We like to play the blame game…and we’re world-famous for passing the buck.
When will we grow up and rise up and fess up and say, I’m responsible?!
We can choose to sin, but we cannot choose the consequences!
v. 7-8 We have a free will, and so does God when He reads our meter!
•Judgment
This is serious.
And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, (Hebrews 9:27 NLT)
Everyone here will someday stand before God…alone! I cannot stand with you and no one with me. Your parents won’t be beside you or your attorney. We will all have to give an account of your life.
3. Some Burdens Are Meant To Be Shed
Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall. (Psalms 55:22 NLT)
Jesus is our great burden bearer. Sometimes we cling to a burden and try to carry it ourselves. We can be deceived into thinking God wants us to carry something by ourselves as if we are somehow serving God by doing so…but some burdens He wants to carry for us, if we’ll let Him.
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 NLT)
When it’s more than you can bear and you don’t think you can take another step, you can lay it on Jesus.
For some reason sometimes, we feel like we can make it ourselves. But there are times when we need to let go and let God!
One of these two things will happen when we cast our burden on the Lord:
•The Lord will lift the burden
I’ve seen people have a health need, and they pray, and it goes away.Financial need…and God provides the money. It’s always great when that’s how it happens. But that’s not always how
God works…
Sometimes the Lord doesn’t lift the burden…sometimes...
•The Lord will lift you
The Apostle Paul is an example of this. 3 times He asked God to lift a burden he was carrying.
We preach about it and say that God’s answer was “no”, but I’ll give you grace. But really, 3 times God said yes…I’ll lift that burden, and you too!
Some of you are getting bitter toward God because you’ve asked Him to lift your burden and it doesn’t seem that He has…but please realize it may be His will to lift you up, and carry you and that burden through it all. But when we throw a perpetual pity party we don’t allow Him to carry us or the burden either!
“He will take care of you!”
Some of you today are carrying a burden the Lord never intended you to carry…but you seem to insist!
Remember the song... “I must tell Jesus, all of my trials."
Come to Him today and cast your burden on His shoulders and allow Him to take charge of your burdens.
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