Bearing Burdens

Galatians 6:1-5

English Standard Version (ESV)

Bear One Another's Burdens

6 Brothers,^[a] 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. ²  Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. ³ For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.⁴ But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. ⁵ For each will have to bear his own load.

Galatians 6 is such a refreshing piece of scripture to read. In it Paul tells us that if our brother is caught in transgressions, we are to lift them up. We are to help one another bear our burdens. But we shouldn't bear with each other so we can raise ourselves up over them. When we do this in self-gratification, we are deceiving ourselves to think we are honoring God. We don't help others for a good public image. We are there for people out of love and because Christ first loved us. We are commanded in Leviticus 19:18, to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. So as we would seek help in our seasons of hardship, we need to be there for our brothers and sisters in Christ. Our hearts must be adjusted when caring for each other's burdens, if our hearts are working out of selfishness, we aren't showing true God-inspired love.

Paul also tells us of the hardships one must bear on their own. In verse 3 he says  to let each one test his own work, and then he will know he could overcome it without his neighbor's help. Because although we are to bear each other's burdens, it is still up to the individual's responsibility to overcome the burden. So we can only help so much, but the overall outcome is based on the one we are helping.