The burdens of life are peculiar to this tabernacle of flesh. "For indeed we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened." (2 Corinthians 5:4) Paul, however, knew that God promised us relief from this life's burdens. "For we know that if the earthly house of our tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands eternal in the heavens." (2 Corinthians 5:1)
Others are not always aware of our deepest and heaviest burdens. We have no way of knowing what fierce battles some men and women are fighting, or the mighty burdens they are bravely carrying. If we knew, it would surely teach us valuable restraint lessons. Most certainly, we would be more charitable and judge others less harshly.
Some have suggested that Galatians 6:2, "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ" and Galatians 6:5, "For each man shall bear his own burden" must be contradictory passages. These passages do not contradict one another.
- In Galatians 6:2, the word burden is from the Greek word baros, which means load. This may be a burden or load of difficulty, sorrow, or pain. We are to bear one another's burdens of this sort.
- However, in Galatians 6:5, the word burden is from the Greek word phortion which means pack. This pack consists of the entirety of the duties for which each one is personally responsible before God. Hence, "Each man shall bear his own burden" or pack. This pack that others cannot help us bear is different from the heavy loads, mentioned in verse 2, that we are to share.
The Bible teaches us to do three things with our burdens:
- "Bear ye one another's burdens." (Galatians 6:2)
- "Every man shall bear his own burden." (Galatians 6:5)
- "Cast thy burden upon Jehovah." (Psalm. 55:22; cf., 1 Peter 5:7)
"Bear ye one another's burdens." We are to share some burdens with others. Paul commanded, "Not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others." (Philippians 2:4) The key to Galatians 6:2 is found in verse 1, "Brethren, even if a man be overtaken in any trespass, ye who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to thyself, lest thou also be tempted." So in mutual burden bearing, we should seek to restore our brethren who have gone astray. We should not go about throwing stones at them, but in love, attempt to restore them. The word restore means "to set in joint again," as a doctor resets dislocated bones back into their joints. W.E. Vine defines katartizo:
- "To mend, to furnish completely, is translated 'restore' in Galatians 6:1, metaphorically, of the 'restoration,' by those who are spiritual, of one overtaken in a trespass, such a one being as a dislocated member of the spiritual body. The tense is the continuous present, suggesting the necessity for patience and perseverance in the process."
We are to help our brother by sincere reproofs and fervent exhortations. We are to restore "in the spirit of gentleness." Many needful reproofs lose their effectiveness because we give them in the wrong spirit. However, when they proceed from a sincere affection and concern for the welfare of those to whom given, they are likely to make an impression and produce beneficial fruit.
"For each man shall bear his own burden." Some of our burdens are not transferable. The Lord has given each man his own work. "But let each man prove his own work, and then shall he have his glorying in regard of himself alone, and not of his neighbor." (Galatians 6:4; cf., Mark 13:34). No one can believe on the Lord for you, or repent of your sins, or confess your faith in Jesus Christ, or be baptized in your stead. Others, no matter how badly they might want to, cannot perform your Christian duties for you. Nor can they answer for you before God's judgment bar (Romans 14:12; 2 Corinthians 5:10). These responsibilities are unique and individual. We cannot get lost in the crowd and hide behind others (Psalm. 33:13; Hebrews 4:13).
"Cast thy burden upon Jehovah, and he will sustain thee: He will never suffer the righteous to be moved." (Psalm 55:22) Some burdens push us to the point of despair and are beyond the reach of human effort and aid. We are to cast these burdens upon the Lord, for in them He has promised to sustain us. Perhaps you have retreated into some deep Gethsemane and in your anguish prayed, "Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless, not my will, but Thine, be done." (Luke. 22:42) Perhaps, in His grace, he removed the cup. However, he has not promised to remove all burdens. If He does not remove a burden, He has promised to give us strength to bear it.
Paul had a thorn in the flesh. Three times, he besought the Lord to remove it. But God did not remove it; He said, "My grace is sufficient for thee for (my) power is made perfect in weakness." Paul responded, "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)
Paul wrote, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that ye may be able to endure it." (1 Corinthians 10:13) We must cast life's seemingly unbearable burdens upon the Lord, "Casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He careth for you." (1 Peter 5:7; cf., Philippians 4:5-7)
Let us be conscious of the burdens of others, those loads that we can help them to lift; for truly I am my brother's keeper. But let us also be willing to assume responsibility for the burdens that are uniquely our own--those burdens that are not transferable. However, when we are feeling overwhelmed with the burdens of disappointment, fear, and failure, let us cast these burdens upon the Lord.
At times, life's burdens can be extremely overwhelming. God instructs us to help one another as we travel life's uneven pathway. When you have burdens with which others cannot help, trust the Lord to see you through. He is always ready and willing to help. He is by far the best of the burden carriers. (KMG)