Often, people don’t share their struggles with loved ones. Whether it is a heart or mind struggle we choose to go through it alone but that is not how it should be. Jesus was wrestling with His flesh in Gethsemane and opened up about it to His close friends:
Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and He told the disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 Taking along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.38 Then He said to them, “My soul is swallowed up in sorrow —to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake with Me.” 39 Going a little farther, He fell facedown and prayed … (Mt 26:36-40)
In this passage, Jesus, God in the flesh, was very open and honest with His followers about His feelings and struggles. He even went so far as to ask them to stay awake with Him for some support.
You need to share your struggles with your loved ones too. Unless you are very good with hiding your feelings, they will know you are struggling anyway. They will suffer because you are suffering even though they don’t know why you’re struggling:
26 So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. (1 Cor 12:26)
Open up to them so they can help you and someday the opposite will be true:
Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up. 11 Also, if two lie down together, they can keep warm; but how can one person alone keep warm? 12 And if someone overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken. (Ecc 4:9-12)
God has equipped them and you through your suffering to be able to support one another:
3 Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God. (2 Cor 1:3-4)
So, share your burdens with your loved ones.
If you are on the listening end, you need to do everything to support your loved one who is hurting. Make them a higher priority than yourself:
Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. 4 Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. (Php 2:3-4)
Take their problem as seriously as if it were your problem. Make it your own and carry it for them:
Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Gal 6:2)
Keeping struggles to yourself does nothing but weigh you down; but sharing them with your loved one somehow lightens the load even though nothing may change. Sharing struggles with loved ones will bring you closer together and gives them the great blessing of being a tool used by God to comfort and help you.
When you’re struggling emotionally, mentally, or physically, share your burden with your loved. If your loved one has shared a burden with you, make it your own burden and help them in any way you can.
Think about it
Do you share your struggles and fears with your loved ones? If you don’t, why not?
Have they proven to be unsupportive in the past? If so, can you talk through it with a pastor or Christian friend, or get counseling?
How are you at supporting your loved one when they share a struggle with you? Are you supportive and helpful? Do you make their problem your problem?
BIBLE DEVOTIONS FOR LIVING 