Lighten the Load 分担重担
Dexu Xia
Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2
When the women in our newly formed Bible study faced a series of tragedies, we suddenly found ourselves sharing deeply personal experiences. Facing the loss of a father, the pain of a wedding anniversary after divorce, the birth of a child who was completely deaf, the experience of racing to bring a child to the emergency room—it was too much for anyone to carry alone. Each person’s vulnerability led to more transparency. We cried and prayed together, and what started as a group of strangers became a group of close friends in a matter of weeks.
As part of the church body, believers in Jesus are able to come alongside people in their suffering in a deep and personal way. The relational ties that bind together brothers and sisters in Christ aren’t dependent on the length of time we’ve known each other or the things we have in common. Instead, we do what Paul calls “[carrying] each other’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2). Relying on God’s strength, we listen, we empathize, we help where we can, and we pray. We can look for ways to “do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (v. 10). Paul says that when we do so, we fulfill the law of Christ (v. 2): to love God and love our neighbor as ourselves. The burdens of life can be heavy, but He’s given us our church family to lighten the load.
By: Karen Pimpo
Who’s suffering around you? How can you lighten their load today?
Dear God, thank You for walking alongside me no matter what I face. Help me love others in that way today.
你们各人的重担要互相担当，如此，就完全了基督的律法。—加拉太书6章2节
在我们刚成立的查经小组中，有好些姐妹都遭遇了不同的打击。一时之间，我们都感同身受，开始坦诚分享自己的经历。无论是遭遇父亲离世，或是离婚不久就碰上结婚纪念日，还是刚出世的孩子被诊断为全聋，或是需要带着孩子狂奔至急诊室，这一切我们都难以独自承受。渐渐地，每个人敞开心扉，吐露自己的伤心事。然后，我们一起哭泣、祷告。起初，我们对彼此并不熟悉，还有点生疏，但在短短几周内，我们却成了一群亲密的朋友。
身为教会的一分子，基督徒能以诚恳且亲切的态度，在他人痛苦的时候支持鼓励他们。将基督里的弟兄姐妹连结在一起的关键，并不是大家互相认识的时间长短，或彼此有什么共通点，而是在于使徒保罗所说的那样，“各人的重担要互相担当”（加拉太书6章2节）。靠着上帝的能力，我们倾听、同理，尽可能地提供援助，而且彼此代祷。我们可以想方设法地“向众人行善，向信徒一家的人更当这样”（10节）。保罗说，当我们这么做，就完全了基督的律法（2节）：爱上帝且爱人如己。生活的担子可能非常沉重，但上帝将教会这个大家庭赐给我们，分担了我们的重担。
作者： 平凯灵
你身边有谁正在受苦？今天，你如何分担他们的重担？
亲爱的上帝，感谢祢，不论我遭遇什么事，祢都与我同在。
今天，求祢帮助我也以这样的方式爱人。