Bear With One Another
“…bearing with one another,…” Paul (Colossians 3:13a)
What does it mean to lovingly “bear with one another?” It literally means that we empathetically and patiently build relationships with (relate to) one another in humility and gentleness. If you haven’t noticed this is not always easy…but it doesn’t change God’s Word and how we are to live and relate in Christ!
Remember when Paul told the Ephesians to “be patient and bear with one another in love.” Well this must be pretty important and The Holy Spirit knows we’re going to need to have patience and forbearance…longsuffering with each other because He inspires Paul to tell the believers at Colossi basically the same thing.
In Colossians 3:13a, right after he’s told them not to lie to one another, he writes, “Bear with each other…” There it is again and he tells us how to do this in v. 12, “So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience;”
Notice how these traits that we’re supposed to put on (and I would say mature in) are right in line with the fruit of The Spirit in Galatians 5:22-24. We are capable of doing this in a very limited fashion in our flesh because we are created in the image of God. However, it is only by The Spirit that we can consistently put these virtues on and mature in these fruits so that even in the difficult times and with difficult people (not that we’re ever one of these) we can “bear with one another.”
Of course it’s not like we’re every unbearable and need others to bear with us…RIGHT! God knows that in a fallen world we are going to need to have others help bear our burdens and walk through difficulties with us and we need to be there for them to do the same.
Who’s helping bear you up and lift your burdens? Who are you bearing with and making their load lighter and their life more bearable…even blessed?
Love and Lordship…Food for Thought – Christ calls us to build loving relationships that require humility and patience with those that are different from us but far too often are much like us. How are you doing when it comes to getting along with (bearing) with others to show them His Love?
Love and Lordship…Action Item(s)
- Spend time with Him in His Word and prayer daily – read and study the Scriptures in this post as a way to start.
- Ask The Holy Spirit to teach you.
- Who are you daily bearing with to show them more of Christ?
- Who do you struggle to “bear with” and what do you need The Holy Spirit to change for you to be lovingly obedient in this “one another” command?
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