Redeeming Love: A 5-Day Devotional by Francine RiversSample

Sharing the Load

The wounds in our past can affect us long after we’ve been rescued from that past. When we have been hurt by other people, we might see relationships as only potential pain. We lean away from the people who reach out to us, careful not to give them any ammunition with which to wound us more. We begin to think of isolation and independence as ideal. 

But this is not what God considers best for us. As messy and painful as relationships can be, they also bring us life. Consider Ecclesiastes 4:9–12: 

Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart. 

We’re created to care for others and be cared for by them. From the very beginning, God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). He knew that life on this earth would be tough, and we would need others to help us share the load. Romans 12:15 tells us to “rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” When others enter into our sorrow, their compassion makes us feel less alone. When others celebrate with us, our joy expands. And when we care enough to share others’ joys and sorrows, our love for them grows and our hearts change. 

Ecclesiastes 4:12 is a reminder that God’s presence is what ultimately makes our relationships work. His presence strengthens our relationships, deepens them, and helps them last. First John 4:12 says, “If we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.” As we love others, He makes us more like Himself. 

Think about a time when caring for someone else ended up helping you. If you feel isolated, what’s one thing you can do to foster good relationships?