Thursday, October 29, 2026From the news

Bearing Each Other's Weight

Caregiving costs are rising faster than many everyday expenses, but God sees the families carrying that weight, offers them rest in Christ, and calls the church to share the load.

Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:2

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11:28

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

2 Corinthians 12:9

A new study from AARP reports that the out-of-pocket costs for caregivers have risen about 60 percent over the last five years. That is a striking number, and it is even more striking when we consider that it has climbed faster than gas prices and rent, the expenses many of us watch most closely. Behind that figure are real people: a son driving across town before work to check on his father, a daughter who has cut her hours to be home with her mother, a spouse who sits up at night counting pills and bills. If your week has been heavy, you may already know what those numbers mean in your own kitchen and your own checkbook. Let us take a moment to say it plainly. Caring for someone you love is costly in ways that do not always show up on a receipt. It costs sleep, energy, friendships, and sometimes a quiet hope for the future. I am sorry for the weight you may be carrying, and I want you to know you are not invisible to God.

Scripture never pretends that love is free. Paul writes to the churches in Galatia, "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2). The word for burden there describes a load too heavy for one person to lift alone. Paul does not say that the weight disappears when we love well. He says that the weight is shared. Caregiving is one of the clearest places where this command becomes concrete. When a family has to carry medical bills, long hours, and emotional strain, Christ calls his people to come alongside them with practical help, with a meal, a ride to an appointment, a few hours of respite, or simply a phone call that says, "I see you."

But before we talk about what we can do for others, let us hear what Jesus says to those who are weary. "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). Notice that Jesus does not wait for us to have our finances in order or our schedules under control. He invites the tired and the overwhelmed to come now. Sometimes the first act of faith in a hard season is simply to stop pretending we are fine and bring our exhaustion to him in prayer. Rest in Jesus is not the same as an easy life. It is the steady assurance that we are held, even when the bills are high and the nights are long.

Paul also knew what it was to be stretched past his limits. He pleaded with the Lord to remove a painful thorn, and the answer he received was not a removal but a promise: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9). That word is for the caregiver who feels they have nothing left to give. God's grace does not require us to be strong enough on our own. It is strong precisely where we are not.

So let me gently ask you a few questions this morning. Where is the weight of caregiving pressing on you most today? Is there one burden you can bring to God by name? And is there someone near you who is carrying a load you could help lighten, even in a small way? You do not need a grand plan. Take heart in the small faithful steps, because God delights to work through ordinary kindness.

If you are a caregiver, may you know that your labor is seen and that you are not doing it alone. If you are someone who has been spared this season, may you let the news of others' costs move your heart toward compassion and action.