Burden bearing as the Church

By: Jason Phillips, Lifepoint Worthington

As I walk into my new house, I am greeted by the familiar faces of my family and Lifegroup. They look at me, not knowing what to say or if they should smile. Some hug me, then return to work – unloading, cleaning, building furniture, and putting items away. My wife and I hardly lift a finger.

Our move-in was the day after my mom’s passing. It proved to be a holy dichotomy of grief and joy. 

Normally, I would find this level of care unnecessary or too burdensome. Yet, move-in day provided an opportunity for me to show weakness and tangibly experience Christ’s love through the help of His bride, the church. 

More often than not, our Western individualism pushes back on our desire to be vulnerable, express our needs, and accept help. Yet, in His kindness, the triune God created us in His image. He designed us for an intimate, relational community, just as He exists in perfect unity. In the beginning, God exclaimed, “It is not good for the man to be alone,” as he created a suitable counterpart for Adam in Eve (Gen. 2:18). Yet, unlike God, we have needs. And they will, at times, be too heavy to carry alone. 

Paul tells the church of Galatia, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2). In context, Paul is explaining that we have a Christian responsibility toward one another in our battle against sin. Yet, John Piper describes “burdens” in this passage more broadly “as anything that threatens to crush the joy of our faith—whether a tragedy that threatens to make us doubt God's goodness, or a sin that threatens to drag us into guilt and judgment (John Piper – Desiring God Foundation, desiringGod.org).

The cancer journey is full of emotional, spiritual, financial, and relational strains that threaten to crush the joy of our faith and doubt the goodness of God. As the church, we have a duty to each other – both to humbly be a burden and obediently carry the burdens of others.

Be a Burden

Asking for help can be difficult for someone with a cancer diagnosis, their caregiver, or family members. You may have difficulty articulating your needs or are embarrassed about the kind of needs you have. Perhaps you have experienced the sting of a friend’s absence and now fear asking too much of people. Maybe you have believed the lie that faithfulness to God means appearing confident and pushing through the challenges alone despite lingering uncertainties and increasing side effects. 

Part of the gospel’s beauty is the inherent vulnerability of recognizing that we cannot atone for our sins on our own. We must humbly admit our need for God’s mercy before we can receive the gift of grace offered on the cross. If the church is to, as Paul says, “fulfill the law of Christ” by bearing the physical burdens of its members, then those with needs must be able to express them. 

In His final hours, Jesus washes the disciples’ feet, then tells them, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35). One of the clearest ways God’s people can be distinguished is through loving service. 

Today, you need care, but tomorrow it may be you who wants to bear the burdens of others. 

So, in this season of burden, do not rob yourself of the care of God through your brothers and sisters in Christ. Further, do not rob your church family of the gift of displaying God’s love in their care for you. 

Carry the Burdens of Others

As the church, it is our joy to serve the body of Christ. When speaking on unity, Paul tells the Corinthians, “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it” (1 Cor. 12:26). We are not a self-reliant, but interconnected and interdependent people. When one of our members is hurting, so should we. 

With this posture, God will undoubtedly ask His people to make sacrifices to show love and meet the needs of those experiencing a cancer diagnosis. Sometimes, this will be a simple meal delivered, lawn mowed, or an hour spent with a friend receiving chemo. Yet, other needs will be more costly. You may have to adjust your sports commitments. It may mean welcoming someone into your home for a season. God might even ask you to reorganize your finances to support someone who cannot afford their cancer treatments. 

For some of us, these words push against the individualism deeply instilled within us. Yet, early followers of Jesus believed they had a responsibility to each other (Acts 2:44-45). Jesus even says about the hungry, thirsty, and sick, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40). Bearing the burdens of the sick is not just a nice thing to do, it is our responsibility as disciples of Jesus. If we are to grow up mature in Christ, we must be ready and willing to surrender worldly strongholds to serve the people God has entrusted to our care. 

Today, God may ask you to bear the burdens of someone experiencing a cancer diagnosis, but tomorrow, you may need help carrying a load. Let us have open hands and open hearts to our brothers and sisters in the throes of cancer as we seek to be the church and “fulfill the law of Christ” in our care for them. 

Challenge: Pray and ask God to reveal ways you need to grow in asking for help or providing care to those in need. Then, pray and ask God for opportunities to stretch this area of weakness and for wisdom/strength to be obedient. 

Unsplash Image Youssef Naddam