“Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee…” (Ps. 55:22).
“Bear ye one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Gal. 6:2)
The year 2007 began with the very troubling news that my wife’s mother had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Since she was the only daughter in the family, it placed an even greater responsibility upon my wife than on her four brothers. It was necessary for her to devote full time care to her mother during the final five months of her life. It was certainly a difficult decision, but we determined together that I would continue to travel in ministry with our sons since we would not be able to be with my wife any-how. By necessity, we were apart for ten weeks that spring, the only time in our marriage that such a thing has ever happened.
At one point we were preparing to leave for several more weeks. Sensing the need to do something special, I went to a local gift shop and purchased a small stuffed bear. Later that day, my wife found him sitting on the table with a card which said:
I suppose it seems unbearable to be apart, and I can barely stand the thought of it. However God is helping us to bear our burdens. He promises that He will not give us more than we can bear. We are told in God’s Word that “every man shall bear his own bur-den”. It seems we have a little extra right now but it is not unbearable. I would like you to meet Thomas. He is a bear. He would like to ride in the car with you, he likes therapy, he would like to hear your Sunday School lesson, he will sleep with you and eat with you and sit with you. Hold him close and just don’t let him get too far away because that is unbearable. When you hold him, he will remind you of another Thomas who:
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- Misses you
- Loves you
- Cares for you
- Is praying for you
- Will see you soon
There you go. Thomas will help make this time more bearable for you. With Love, Thomas
“Love beareth all things”
Needless to say, the burden was not eliminated for my wife. During her Mother’s illness and eventual home going, the load that she carried was, at times, overwhelming. We know that her ultimate relief came from the Lord who sustained her, and yet having a burden-bearer enabled her to carry the burden as well. The burden was easier to carry, because Thomas helped carry it. Of course, Thomas was a bear, but Thomas was also her husband who was seeking to follow the instructions of Scripture: “Bear ye one another’s burdens.”
A Moment of Prayer:
What is it at this time in life that may seem overwhelming to your wife? Right now, take time to carry that burden for her in prayer to God, asking Him to sustain her today. Now, be an encouragement to her today by writing her a note or sending her a text that says, “I prayed for you today.”
This chapter was written by Evangelist Tom Palmer.
This chapter is taken from “The Extraordinary Husband”. For more information on the book CLICK HERE.
