Joseph M. Scriven - What a Friend We Have in Jesus
I often look at carrying another person's hurt or burden as a ship taking on more weight on its top deck - hard to manage and always having to work around. Blackaby points out in today's study that you are uniquely equipped and positioned to help someone else and should count it a privilege to be used of God in this manner. So, to expand my ship metaphor, I should look at the opportunity of helping a person not as top-loaded weight, but as ballast. You know, the stuff that goes in the bottom of the boat to help it stay upright in rough waters.
One example of rough waters I can add to the list of opportunities to help bear a burden is conflict. How often do you look at a conflict situation with regret, sorrow, anger, frustration or hesitancy to address the problem? I know I do. In the framework of Galatians 6: 2, God is telling me that it may be an opportunity to bear someone else's burden. How may I help resolve the conflict between me and another AND perhaps help the other party(s) bear a burden? Maybe that burden led them into conflict with me. The hand of God is still at work. That may be the precise reason you are involved as a peacemaker - to bring glory and honor to God AND to help right my ship. If I have offended someone, it may be my sin or my burden that has carried me to that spot. God at work. Righting the ship.
The first point of action in all of this is prayer. Scriven wrote the hymn quoted above to help him deal with the hurt of having a sick mother across the sea in Ireland. He knew the only source of comfort was to pray. Bearing burdens always requires frequent and sometimes heart-wrenching prayer. Be ready to receive the answer. It may add a little more weight to your ship.
Charles Fortney
elder
1 comment:
This is another way to glorify God. I would like to thank the deacons of our church, the care groups, and our care Paster Brandon Porter who are especially good at ministering to those hurting.
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