Hi there, and thanks for joining us for today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

Karen Pimpo wrote today's reading and she titled it, Lighten the Load.

When the women in our newly formed Bible study faced a series of tragedies, we suddenly

found ourselves sharing deeply personal experiences.

Facing the loss of a father, the pain of a wedding anniversary after divorce, the birth

of a child who was completely deaf, the experience of racing to bring a child to the

emergency room, it was too much for anyone to

carry alone. Each person's vulnerability led to more transparency. We cried and prayed together,

and what started as a group of strangers became a group of close friends in a matter of weeks.

As part of the church body, believers in Jesus are able to come alongside

people in their suffering in a deep and personal way. The relational ties that bind together

brothers and sisters in Christ aren't dependent on the length of time we've known each other,

or the things we have in common. Instead, we do what Paul and Galatian 6 calls

carrying each other's burdens. Relying on God's strength, we listen, we empathize, we help where we can

and we pray. We can look for ways to do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Paul says that when we do so, we fulfill the law of Christ, to love God and love our neighbor as ourselves.

The burdens of life can be heavy, but he's given us our church family to lighten the load.

Today's our daily bread devotional scripture reading is from Galatians chapter 6

verses 1 through 10. Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the spirit should restore

that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's

burdens and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks they are something

when they are not, they deceive themselves. Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load. Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the Word should share all good things with their instructor.

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