Bearing the burdens of others...

Today, I came across something in my daily devotional that really struck me. I seems that this week I have been struggling with some problems that have been rather annoying, and this devotion really convicted me. Perhaps you will get something from it as well… It is from Experiencing God Day-by-Day, by Henry T. and Richard Blackaby, and it’s titled Bearing One Another’s Burdens:

When God places people in your life who are in need, He is aware of what they lack, and He knows He has given you the resources to meet those needs. You know God does nothing by accident. When a need surfaces around you, immediately go to the Father and say, “You put me here for a reason. You knew this was going to happen. What did You intend to do through me that would help this person become closer to
You?”

Recognizing a need in someone’s life can be one of the greatest invitations from God you will ever experience. It’s easy to become frustrated by the problems of others. They can overwhelm you as you become aware of need after need. Rather than looking at each new problem as one more drain on your time, energy, or finances, ask God why He placed you in this situation. Allow God to help you see beyond the obvious needs of others to the things he wants to accomplish in their lives. Don’t miss God’s activity because you’re reluctant to carry the load of others.

Is God blessing you materially? It may be He is developing a “supply depot” in your life through which He can provide for others. Has God granted you a strong, healthy family life? It may be that He requires such a home to minister to the hurting families around you. Has God released you from sinful habits? Has God’s peace comforted you in a time of great sorrow? Has God miraculously provided for your needs? It may be that He has been purposefully building things into your life so that you can now be the kind of person who will carry the burdens of others.

I have to confess, that I have frustrated by the problems of others. Perhaps God has placed me in this position to help them overcome their problems, and experience Him in a new way. Perhaps you have read this, and something struck a chord, and you may now know how to reach out to someone in a way different than you have in the past, a way that will minister to them.