Bearing One Another’s Burdens

(Matthew 16:24) “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.’”

All of our problems in life are our crosses to bear. We either bear them alone, or we bear them with God’s grace. God has also given us our spouse, out of grace and love, in order to give us companionship in helping us bear life burdens together. This is what true love does. It sacrifices for another in order to help them on their journey and to deepen their experience of love. This is true even when we have been the cause of the cross for the other person. Jesus is calling to us to share in His cross so as to learn deeper love through sacrifice, forgiveness, and love for each other.

This is illustrated so powerfully in the crucifixion scene when Simon of Cyrene reluctantly helps Jesus carry the cross. If you think about it, Simon was reluctant and even indignant about the idea of having to help carry a cross for this criminal; yet it is the sins of Simon, as well as each one of us, who placed it on Christ’s back in the first place. Yet, tradition teaches that, this event utterly transformed Simon’s life.

We shouldn’t begrudge having to walk through these challenges with each other. Nor should we find pride in helping each other. Rather we are called to love as Christ loved and humbly walk this journey together as a sacrifice of love for each other.

ACTION STEP: This week, seek to be more joyful as you bear one another’s burdens and offer this up as a prayer for your spouse.