Burden-Bearers

Ephesians 4:32

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

If there is one positive thing that has come from the Coronavirus pandemic, it’s community spirit. All over the UK we have seen stories of people coming together to help those who were vulnerable and in need. It is absolutely amazing what can be achieved when individuals and groups pull together, because although we may all be in the same storm, we are not all in the same boat.

Those who have been fortunate enough to be able to continue working and maintain a regular income, wait out the storm in a relatively strong and sturdy boat. Those who lost their jobs or are possibly losing their business, probably feel as though they are being tossed about in a dinghy that is taking in water.

The bible encourages us to bear one another’s burdens (Gal6:2) and it is this attitude that we have seen played out across the country. How much more should we, who know the blessing and faithfulness of God our Father, share with those and be of help to those in a less fortunate position? We are lead to show kindness and compassion toward one other.

In tough situations, we don’t always act as we should. Stress levels are elevated, we become more agitated and we sometimes take our frustration out on those around us. If you find yourself on the receiving end, God is asking you to forgive because we don’t always know what others are going through. We are to be burden-bearers, not grudge-bearers. We all have bad days, so forgive the harsh tone or sarcastic remark and pray God’s peace into their circumstances.

You will truly find blessing in forgiveness.