Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

Devotion

One of my favorite parts of being on staff at Crossings is getting a front row seat to watching the body of Christ come alive to meet the needs of those around them. The past couple of years, it seems as though suffering, heartache, and loss has been a central theme in the lives of many of those in our church community. As the reality of life has hit hard, the love of Christ has shown up through everyday people walking in obedience to love, care, and simply show up for those around them.

Scripture instructs us in Galatians 6:2 that, as believers, we are to carry one another’s burdens: “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” I have watched this Scripture come alive. I have watched as others have shown up to help carry the weight of loss. The weight of struggle. The weight of sickness. The weight of addiction. The weight of all the hard things life can bring us. These people who have lifted the burdens of others have done this simply through their presence—simply by showing up.

Showing up requires us to look past our own fears and our own insecurities. Often, our own fear holds us back from showing up for people. We feel like we don’t know what to say or what to do that might be helpful, so we stay away from those who are suffering. But when we resist the urge to fix the situation or say something profound and simply show up, we are able to actually care for others in a meaningful way.

In his book, Out of Solitude, Henri Nouwen says this, “When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives means the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares.”

We see Jesus model this idea of simply showing up in the Gospels. When his friend, Lazarus, dies, Jesus simply shows up. He doesn’t initially try to fix the problem or offer cliché advice. Rather than offering a quick-fix solution, he simply offers his presence. He shows up and he weeps with those who are mourning. He enters into Mary and Martha’s grief, and he touches their wounds with a warm and tender hand.

The next time you get the call that one of your friends is hurting, what would it look like for you to simply show up? For the love of Christ to be made tangible to those who are suffering simply by you showing up and sitting with them in their grief? To trust that the Spirit of God might work simply through your presence?

Hannah Pratz

Crossings Students Pastor | Crossings Edmond

Hannah Pratz is one of the Student Pastors at Crossings Edmond. She is passionate about watching young people find and follow Jesus!

Resources

• For Our Neighbors sermon series
• “Lazarus” sermon from The Gathering
• “Unexpected Community” devotion from Kari Holder