These times of COVID we're still living in are weird, hard, uncertain, and still require us to wear masks, socially distance, and not gather in large groups. So when a friend asks if you want to go to the gym together, maybe do a class, and grab lunch in the café, you say "yes." Of course only if you want to. I wanted to.
My friend began to describe how this gym was not like a typical gym. It contained many floors, different types of classes, an indoor heated pool and hot tub, a café, a spa, a place to get a haircut, childcare, and much more. I felt like I could take a mini vacation there. I did actually but only for half a day.
I got to the gym, parked, and immediately saw her waving both arms in the air, smiling, and jumping around, excited that we were doing this.
We decided that our desire for food was stronger than our desire to exercise so we headed straight to their quaint café with all of the amazing smelling foods, smoothies, coffee drinks, and protein shakes. She got a burger and I got avocado toast; classic. We sat down at a socially distanced two-person table and began catching up.
Here's what you need to know about this friend. We actually went to college together, ended up on the same dorm floor for two years, and she was one of few women I knew who was also pursuing their degree in Student Ministry. The first time I formally met her, she and another mutual friend I knew both hilariously serenaded me with a ukulele when I got really sick my freshman year. After that she said, "Hi! I'm _________" and introduced herself.
What's even more fun is we ended up traveling to Nepal together for a summer as part of our Student Ministry internships. Now, we attend the same church in Minnesota, serve in different capacities, are a part of the same book club, and we still hang out (schedules permitting).
We talked.
We asked each other intentional questions.
We laughed.
We reminisced.
We processed through what life looks like with COVID.
We confessed.
Our conversation eventually got to a point where we both confessed we had been crying prior to meeting up at the gym.
We listened to each other, encouraged, spoke Truth, and sat in each others' stuff. This is what doing life together can look like.
Showing up.
Being authentic and vulnerable.
Being honest and raw.
People like to see the real you. The real me. The not-put-together versions of ourselves where we sometimes pretend life is "perfect", but on the inside we're crying (or screaming, angry, grieving, anxious, depressed, bitter, fearful).
"Bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2
In a commentary by Matthew Henry he expounds on this verse and says, "sympathize with one another under the various troubles that we may meet with, and be ready to afford each other the comfort and counsel...though as Christians we are freed from the law of Moses we are under the law of Christ, and by bearing one another's burdens we fulfill that law."
In other research I did, the "law of Christ" that Paul is referring to is "when Christ summons us to obey his law of love, he offers us himself to slay our pride, change our hearts, empower us by his Spirit, and fulfill his law...through faith God supplies the Spirit of Christ (Galatians 3:5); through the Spirit we produce the fruit of love (5:22); through love we fulfill the law of Christ (6:2)."
In other words, lighten each other's loads. Help each other carry them. And by so doing, through faith, the Spirit, and love, we fulfill the law of Christ.
After our conversation, I was reminded that we are all carrying something.
Let's be gracious with one another.
Let's talk about the vulnerable things.
Let's show up with our baggage instead of without it because we've ALL got something. Let's be authentic; struggles, hard days, tears, heartache and all.
[Guided Prayer]
Father, I pray you would surround me with people that I can be honest, real, and vulnerable with. I pray you would give me the courage to be vulnerable first. Would you show me who I can be a friend to in this hard season / year by listening. Who's burden do you want me to help carry? Help me to be sensitive to the needs of those around me, and to not be afraid to ask for help when I need it. Thank you for the body of Christ and the power of what a life lived in authentic community can look like. We are grateful.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.
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