Call upon your brothers for help

In this life, we oftentimes find ourselves bearing a greater burden than we are prepared to bear, most of the time by our own hand.

One of the greatest dangers is taking on the lie that we can handle it ourselves. We justify it because, “Oh, I just don’t want to bother anybody.” Or we use scripture to allow ourselves to live in solitude and guilt ourselves into it through things like, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength,” so I shouldn’t need anybody else.

But we are cutting ourselves off from the body of Christ when we do this. We are doing something we were never intended to do, go through our life, and our struggles alone. Don’t you know the first thing that was said to not be good was just this: “solitude!”?

“Then the Lord God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.'” (‭‭Genesis‬ ‭2‬:‭18‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

And yet, especially us men, we thrive on taking it upon our own shoulders; we fall into a trap of pride without even realizing it. And as such, we begin to dig our own graves spiritually and emotionally.

I say these things not to condemn but to encourage. If you are walking through your life and your problems alone, know that it doesn’t have to be so; that it shouldn’t be so. For we are one body, with different purposes, created to serve one another.

A true brother says, let me take up that burden with you; let me laugh when you laugh, and weep when you weep.

Proverbs 17:17 says this: “A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in times of need.” We pastors, as we write these messages to you, stand on that truth. We are here to bear your burdens, to hear your struggles, and to strengthen in times of weakness.

Yes, call upon the Lord, but call upon your brothers, too. They are sent to walk through the fire with you. It is time for us to be vulnerable to allow the body to function as intended, seeking help, seeking to help, and seeking God in every moment.

If you find yourself today holding more than you can bear, call on the Lord, who carries all things, and call upon the brothers in this community who were born to help in times of need. Blessings, and know that we are here.

Justin Gardner pastors at River of Life Fellowship, 702 Church St., Sandpoint. The church can be reached at 208-255-7111.