Friends who bear burdens

As I'm trying to get this place together I find myself making more and more bins of "memories." Beyond the kids school photos and preschool art, I have piles of cards, letters, pictures, posters, and more that remind me of different sacred moments in my journey. I even found a can of spam the other day. I am pretty sure I preached a sermon about spam or about how I had never had it and someone bought it for me. It's still there unopened. This morning's devotion for me was from the book of Galatians and it was about friends. I really miss my good, strong friends these days. I can't possibly name names but I really truly miss you. And in the midst of that bit of sadness I am reminded of how incredibly blessed I am. You have upheld me in so many ways in my life and continue to do so and I know you always will, whether I am sick or I am well. Your texts and notes that let me know you are continuing to pray for me are so meaningful and life giving and I know that God is using you to help me. So, enjoy this devotion, thanks for being this friend and hopefully we can all do this and be this to others. Happy Friday!!! Carry One Another’s Burdens Text: Galatians 6:1-18, James 5:19-20, Romans 15:1-7, Hebrews 12:3, 2 Thessalonians 2:13 Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. – Galatians 6:2 My best friend lives 2,000 miles away, on the other side of the ocean. (But we live in Hawaii, so that’s true of a lot of our friends!) Throughout the week she and I send texts back and forth, full of emojis, scripture, encouragement, and real-life struggles. We preach truth to each other, because sometimes you need to hear the truth from someone other than yourself. She’s my most encouraging friend— always holding me up when I fall, and always reminding me of God’s truth, His promises, and His faithfulness in all circumstances. I can be gut-honest with her, and she can be the same with me. In Galatians 6:2, Paul encourages us to, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” He had just finished telling the Galatians to love each other, to put away the things of the flesh (like jealousy, envy, divisions, and hatred. Anyone been there? I sure have!) and to put on the things of the Spirit (like love and patience and kindness— you know, all things that make for a sweet friendship or relationship). Then Paul gives us this command: bear each other’s burdens. The thing is, life is hard. Not all the time, for sure. There are so many things to give thanks for and to rejoice in, laugh at, and rest in. But there are days and seasons of life that are just flat-out difficult. Devastating. Heartbreaking. Gut-wrenching. You may feel alone and abandoned, overwhelmed and anxious, fearful, stressed, or heavy-hearted. You may feel hopeless. But God, in His ever-gracious, all-loving, and all-knowing way, gives us each other to do life with. This life is not meant to be lived alone. Yes, God has given us Himself, which is the greatest gift of all. He’s also given us His Word, which is chock-full of His promises and stories of His faithfulness and character. His Word empowers me, fills me with hope, and gives me strength and courage to face those hard days. He gives us prayer. I know I can cry out to God all day, every day. He is so sweet to us! But He ALSO gives us friends. Friends who listen, who let us ugly-cry in front of them, and who help us regain perspective. Friends who remind us of truth and hope when we ourselves don’t believe. Friends who pray for us when we’re too weak and give us grace when we fail. Friends who know when we’re sad and hurting, and press in to ask us why. Friends who bring us coffee when we’re having a hard day. Friends who send us a card across the ocean just to let us know we’re loved. Paul is telling us here to be that friend. Be that friend to your friends, to your family, to people new to your neck of the woods, to people a bit younger than you and a bit older than you. Be that friend to your brothers and sisters in the body of Christ. Not only is this beautiful, but it fulfills the law of Christ. The law of Christ is not a set of rules, a list of dos and don’ts. It’s not about going to church, or reading your Bible for so many minutes a day. The law of Christ is to love others as He so abundantly loves you. Jesus gets so much delight and glory when we love those around us— when we think of them, serve them tangibly, and get on our knees to pray for them. Friends, we have been set free to love. To give ourselves. To bear each other’s burdens. May we do that today.