Spiritual Restoration & Support in a Spirit of Gentleness by Pastor Scott

Spiritual Restoration & Support

Carry each other’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ

Our community of faith is built up when we fulfill the Spirit’s call to:

1) Carry the burdens of others in a spirit of gentleness & restoration

2) Carry our own load in a spirit of faithfulness & self-control

When Christians live by the Spirit our desire will be to help others walk in the Spirit. We will be gentle and not harshly critical of other believers caught up in sin. We will feel the burden & trials of others as if they were our own as we seek to help and hold them up. We will in grace & humility confess how easily we also can be overcome by temptation. We will not get caught up in comparing ourselves with others to feel superior about our spirituality. Each of us will be held accountable to God for our actions & attitudes, regardless of what others do or don’t do in fulfilling God’s call on their daily life.

Silent yet sincere reflection:

*Recall a time when you were burdened, stuck in a sin or trapped in a trial and someone reached out to help you.

*Recall a time when you sought to help carry another person’s burden and supported them through the trial.

*Recall a time when you knew God was calling you to carry a burden that only He could help you carry.

What have you learned from life & Scripture about being burden-bearing believers?

 

Brothers & sisters, if someone is caught in a sin or transgression, you who are spiritual (who live by the Spirit), should restore that person in a spirit of gentleness. However, keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.Bear and carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks they are something, when they are nothing, they deceive themselves. So, let each one test their own actions and work, and then your reason to boast will be in yourself alone and not in comparing ourselves to a neighbor or someone else.

For each of us should bear and carry our own load.

Galatians 6:1-5 (ESV & NIV combined)

On the surface of this text there seems to be a couple of Biblical contradictions, but as we engage a deeper study we will discover the truth about carrying each other’s burdens and caring for own responsibilities all by the grace and guidance of God’s Spirit.

Thankfully we have this promise from Jesus in Matthew 11:28-30

“Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy burdened, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

I pray that people will see the Spirit of restoration & burden-bearing support in action within our LivingWaters faith community.

Pastor Scott

“When you see the Spirit in action among believers, you will see a community marked by love…

You will find a love that is gentle & gracious…courageous & full of conviction to restore.”

Todd Wilson in Galatians – Gospel-Rooted Living