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Bearing Weakness: Edifying our Neighbor

Romans 15:1 Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. 2Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification.…

A hard evening for my son. I sat rocking him as he grieved. No words were needed, they will not wash away the heartache he feels, and a Star Wars Band-Aid will not cover his wounds. I silently cried out to my heavenly daddy on my son’s behalf, and let God’s comfort wash over Daniel’s heart. God can get at those places that I cannot.

What do you do in those moments that others suffer? How do you respond to their grief? You may be dealing with a host of your own problems, and it feels like a heavy burden to sit and rock someone as they cry. Dear sister and dear brother we all are broken, and we all are grieving something. We all need to be held.

A neighbor mowed our lawn today. It means so much to me that they reached out. It is hard to accept aid from others, but that is the pride talking. Let others lift your burdens. What my neighbor did for us, enabled me to be present with Daniel. Jesus shared our burdens on the cross–he died to lighten our load! When we treat our neighbors as God treated us, we aren’t just sharing each others burdens, we share each other’s worth. You are valuable to me! You are a treasure! You are worth rocking and being held in your grief.

2 responses to “Bearing Weakness: Edifying our Neighbor”

  1. God bless you and Daniel. Praying for you both. What you say is so true. It is hard to accept help from others, but that help can make such a difference when our tires and life just keep spinning and we can’t get any traction. I’d just discovered that my father had been abusing my mother. He’d not only fallen off the wagon as far as alcohol goes, but he’d also been stealing her pain medication (she has a number of serious health problems). Suddenly I was caring for my disabled mother, dealing with the emotional, legal, and financial fallout of my dad’s choices… and I’m horribly allergic to grass. We couldn’t afford to pay someone to mow the lawn, and the last time I’d gotten within ten feet of a working mower I’d landed in the ER when my asthma almost killed me. I was starting to be afraid that the zoning officials get on us about our budding savanna of a yard when my neighbor across the street rang our door bell. He didn’t know what was going on, but he was wondering if he could help. Especially since he was and is an avid gardener, he was wondering if we’d like some help with the yard. I’m not a teary person, but I started crying right on the spot. Not only was this person incredibly kind, but it was also like our heavenly Father was giving me a great big hug, sending this person to help us. I knew then that it was going to be okay. God was there. You’re right. We all need to be held sometimes, and sometimes we are the instruments God uses to embrace those who need Him most. Thank you for the reminder to look for opportunities to be that instrument, and thank you for sharing your story. I hope my blog is someday able to help comfort and support people as yours has done. God bless you and your family. *Hugs*

    • bkmoore says:

      Thank you so much! My neighbor is an avid gardener as well. lol My prayers are with you dear sister, and may God continue to send you love notes in the midst of your struggles.

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