Carrying Burdens

I just finished reading through Galatians.  Man this is an incredible letter, that talks about the freedom that we have in Christ, and the ability to live redeemed lives that only comes through the Holy Spirit.  Everytime I read this book I am reminded that it’s not about me being perfect, and it’s not about me making everyone around me perfect.

My job as a Spiritual Leader is really to facilitate the discussion for people to wrestle with the Bible and let the Spirit transform their hearts.  And I am responsible to be a tour guide of sorts to show people the way to Jesus, the way to the cross.

Today though I had a bit of an epiphany, in Galatians 6:1-2 it says:

 1Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. 2Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

I was struck with the question, what does it really mean to carry the burdens of people who are caught in a sin?  How do we carry the spiritual, emotional, and relational weight for people who are struggling?

I think this is the messiness of our faith together, where we really begin to do the work of the gospel, where we literally begin to see people set free from their struggles and sins.  And we need to do it gently.

And I don’t even have any answers to this question, but lately I have been diving into life with people a little more intentionally and I’ve been reminded that it’s not my job to make them perfect. or to make sure that they look the part of a good Christian Kid, but I need to be willing and able to bear the burdens with them.

And this is exhausting work, so that’s why we need a church family.  The more people that we can get helping people carry their burdens the better we will be.  I have been encouraging our leaders to do whatever we can to be with students.  Because they need to know that we will help them carry their burdens.

I don’t know if effective ministry is just having tons and tons of people come to an event, as much as effective ministry is the church body, being the body we are called to be and the strong carrying the burdens of the weak, broken or hurting.  I think this part of ministry is a lot harder, but it’s a lot more effective long term.

And you can’t program this, you can’t flow chart this kind of ministry, and I think that’s why it’s so frustrating, but it’s worth the frustration because it’s what Jesus has called us to do.