Bearing one another’s burdens

“Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.”
                                                                —Galatians 6:2

At Loma Linda University Health, we encounter trials and tribulations as we train healthcare professionals and care for our Inland Empire neighbors. Some problems may be light, while others may feel overwhelming. Yet, through it all, we strive to exemplify and model our care after the heart of Jesus, who ministered to the needs of countless individuals.

In the book of Galatians, the apostle Paul imparts invaluable wisdom to the Christian community in Galatia. Amidst the struggles and challenges of life in an urban center that likely bustled with commercial and social activities, Paul encourages believers to embrace a Christ-like attitude of compassion, humility, and support for one another.

The apostle Paul reminds us in Galatians 6:2 of the fundamental essence of the Christian faith — love. We are called to be a community of believers who care deeply for one another, empathizing with the daily struggles, pains, and joys we each experience. This divine command to bear one another’s burdens is not an option but a sacred duty woven into our identity as apprentices of Christ.

What is the emotional culture operating in your department or team? Does it inspire vulnerability and empathy? It is not unheard of for us to refrain from sharing our disappointments, needs, or frustrations with others to preserve a professional work environment. Yet, many of us long to be seen, heard, and belong at work. Are we checking in with each other beyond the progress of goals, projects, and tasks? Do we have people to whom we can regularly express how we’re doing? Are we that person for someone else? 

In the body of Christ, we are not isolated individuals but members of one unified family. Embodying this trait is challenging in a social climate that prioritizes and encourages the individual. Paul reminds us that we must be counter-cultural in our treatment of one another. We are invited to function as one, with our many strengths galvanized around one mission. When one of us suffers, we all feel the pain. Trying to manage on our own or telling ourselves we don’t want to burden anyone is antithetical to supporting one another. The writer of Ecclesiastes echoes this sentiment when they state, “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor: if either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NIV)

Won’t you join me in accepting Paul’s admonition to work together to create supportive communities at LLUH? Let’s spend time talking and listening to each other. Let’s also identify ways to bear one another’s concerns, burdens, joys, and hopes. When we extend compassion, grace, and neighborly love to each other, we are doing and being like Jesus.  

—Dilys Brooks, PhD, BCC, is campus chaplain for Loma Linda University.