Bearing each other’s burdens to build better lives.

I have been doing a Bible study on the book of Nehemiah. It’s a great study by Kelly Minter called Nehemiah – A Heart that can Break. It truly is a good one. We are up to Nehemiah, chapter 4, in the study. Nehemiah has come to Jerusalem, assessed the walls that lie in ruins, and has now rallied the people to start rebuilding. Things are going great. The people are working until their enemy finds out what is happening and tries to stop them from building the wall. Nehemiah 4:10-11 reads, “In Judah it was said ‘The strength of those who bear the burdens is failing. There is too much rubble. By ourselves we will not be able to rebuild the wall.” And our enemies said, “They will not know or see till we come among them and kill them and stop the work.”

What a bad place to be in. The people are overwhelmed with all the “rubble” and their enemy wants to kill them. If you stop and think about it, that is where many of us find ourselves living. We are living in the midst of our rubble, our sin, our pride, our junk, and we have an enemy who wants to kill or at the very least stop us from getting rid of our rubble so we can become who God has called us to be to begin with. Sometimes I get so overwhelmed with life, with my issues, my struggles and I feel like it is pointless. There simply is too much work to get rid of the rubble and I find my strength failing. Haven’t we all found ourselves at that point in our lives. Maybe it isn’t even sin related. Maybe it is circumstantial. Mabey you are overwhelmed with life with toddlers, or being a full time mom and working full time. Or the constant medical issues that leave you feeling hopeless. Not to mention the bills that never stop coming. Many of us are feeling like our strength is failing in life for many different reason.

Then you factor in the enemy. The bible says the enemy comes to kill, steal and destroy in John 10:10. If you are feeling hopeless, hang with me because something amazing happens in Nehemiah chapter 4 that we can apply to our lives, too. Nehemiah 4:13 says “So in the lowest parts of the space behind the walls in open places I stationed the people by their clans, with their swords, their spears, and their bows.” And Nehemiah 4:16 says “From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows and coats of mail.”

You may still be thinking what does this have to do with me? You are either the one who’s building and your strength is failing you, or you are one who is ready to fight. And at different points in life we are both. Let me explain. When life is hard and you are struggling and someone offers help, they are offering to be your fighter to support you so you can keep building. For example if you are a young mom, and an older woman in your church offers to watch your kids for you so you can have a break. You are the weary builder and that older woman is the fighter.

I see this happen all the time at church. We even have ministries designed to help the weary, tired and beat up by life people. It’s what we should be doing. It is how God wants us to function. Galatians 6:2 says “Bear one another’s burdens, and in doing so fulfill the law of Christ.”

So if this is how it is supposed to be and this what the local church tries to do, then why are so many people still feeling like their strength is failing them and there is no one there to help? I believe there are a couple reasons for this, but they come from the same place. We have isolated ourselves from real relationships with people, and we are simply too prideful. Notice I said we because I include myself in this.

People can’t help you if they don’t know what you need help with. I once went to a marriage conference and the only thing I remember is this quote. “Healthy people ask for what they need.” If you are overwhelmed but don’t tell anyone, how will they know? If you feel like your life is a bunch of rubble but you smile and say everything is great, how can anyone help?

And what about those times when people offer to help and we politely thank them but tell them we can handle it? If someone offers, then assume they are willing to help and they want to help. Why won’t we let them?

So I challenge you to be like the people of Nehemiah’s day. Help your fellow brother or sister in Christ when and where you can. And in turn when you need help, ask for it. Tell people what you need.

Nehemiah 6: 15-16 says, “So the wall was finished on the 25th day of the month Elul, in 52 days. And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of the Lord.”

When the people shared their struggles, and then worked together, some building and some fighting, they were able to build the wall all the way around the city of Jerusalem in just 52 days. In just a few weeks the weary worn out discouraged builders regained their strength to finish the task they were given. When we let people help us, we can accomplish much more than we try on our own, and it opens a door for the Lord to do great works in us so that others can’t help but notice what God has done. Our lives become a testimony to the greatness of our Lord.

So I ask you, do you want God to do great things in and with your life? Do you want others to see the activity of the Lord in you? Then ask for help when it is needed, accept it when it is offered, and once you are strengthened and the rubble is removed, go help someone else with theirs.