A Path to Strength

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2 NIV)

I recently had breakfast with a friend who told me of his concern for his wife.  “She just pushes everything down; she never talks about things.” He was concerned because she has been having unexplained physical problems that her doctor finally concluded were due to stress.  

We are told to carry one another’s burdens, but that is a hard command to follow when people won’t reveal what their burdens are.  Thus, I believe Paul’s exhortation is a dual command.  We are to carry others’ burdens, but if we have a burden that is weighing us down, we are to let others know so they can help to carry it.  From experience, the former is easier to do than the latter.

When I was a junior in college, my father passed away.  At the time, I was a student leader in my campus ministry.  Because of that, I believed I needed display a sense of strength.  Upon returning from the Thanksgiving Break and informing fellow students of my father’s death, I was deluged with expressions of sympathy and concern.  “I’m fine,” I said.  “Dad’s in heaven and I’m celebrating that.”  People were impressed and, after a week or so, the sympathy and concern faded. And that’s when the real grieving started, but I kept up my brave face.

I appeared well on the outside, but I was crying on the inside.  And when people failed to inquire how I was doing, I became angry.  One day I vented to the ministry secretary, who was like a second mom to us students.  After hearing me out, she said, “Jim, we are not mind readers.  We don’t know what’s going on with you unless you are willing to tell us.”  It was shortly after this that I began to realize the full extent of Paul’s command to carry one another’s burdens and to understand why it is so much harder to allow our burdens to be carried.   

I was too proud to show my weakness and my neediness.  I believed the lie that, particularly as a leader, I always needed to portray an aura of strength.  That accomplished two things.  First, it deprived others of the opportunity to fulfill their responsibility of helping to carry my burdens.  Secondly, while appearing strong, it actually made me weaker.  The Lord says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (II Corinthians 12:9)  And, as a result, when we are weak, then we actually become stronger (II Corinthians 12:10).

This is why it is so important to not only carry the burdens of others, but to allow them to carry our own.  The simple acknowledgement that we have a burden too heavy to bear alone is an admission of our own weakness.  It is at that point God can begin to work and make us strong.

Today, if you have a burden too heavy to bear alone, don’t be embarrassed or ashamed to tell someone.  Your acknowledgement of weakness is, in reality, your path to strength.  

© Jim Musser 2016