You know that feeling on Sunday morning when you walk up to the coffee bar at Venture Church, honestly dragging and just thankful you made it that far? You ask for a cup of coffee and reach for your wallet when the kind volunteer smiles and says, “It’s all been paid forward this morning!”

There is no better feeling.

If your cash is already in hand, you add to the pile. But if not, you smile and accept it as the greatest blessing of the day. God has seen you, and you testify of His goodness!

Here’s the thing – living in the Spirit is not just a better, holier, and free-er way to live YOUR life. Living in the Spirit impacts every single person in your sphere of influence and even those in the outer rings. When God works in you, there’s someone else down the line who will reap the benefits. A truth I cling to when obedience is difficult – my obedience never stops with me. It’s never just about me.

As Paul concludes this letter, he emphasizes the reality that how we live (either in the flesh or in the Spirit) greatly impacts other people. But man, it’s hard. It’s exhausting to put others above ourselves, especially when we’ve met the needs of our immediate family all day long! Someone else’s kid needs a ride home from practice? Someone else needs help moving out of their apartment?

It will wear you out to bear someone else’s burdens. You just walked through your own grief and now your friend lost her mom? Your coworker’s kid is making a string of bad choices? Your buddy just lost his job?

Living in the Spirit doesn’t give you all the answers. It doesn’t even give you more money or more hours in the day to meet every need. But it does give you the capacity to love others well. It gives you the energy you need to not become weary. It gives you the wisdom you need to give sound advice. And the Spirit gives you a safe place to land when you’re depleted.

Spend time in prayer and reflect on the thoughts below.

Reflection:

• Are you in a community with others that allows you to carry their burdens? If not, jump in a House Church! Ask God to give you the courage to step into other people’s lives.
• Are you sharing your burdens with others? Living in the Spirit goes both ways! Ask God to give you the courage to share your needs and burdens with others. Ask Him to provide safe and trustworthy friends to walk through life with.
• Are you exhausted from ‘doing good?’ Check your heart to determine if your good works are being done out of your flesh or in the Spirit. Ouch! It’s easy to get caught up in working ‘for’ God when God actually wants you to walk with Him.
• Are you weary? Don’t be discouraged. Instead, ask God to show you how your life of love is impacting His kingdom. Trust His promise that a harvest will be reaped at the proper time!

Family Content

Read: Galatians 6

Challenge: Have you ever tried to pick something up but it was too heavy for you? When that happens, we ask for someone’s help and with two people, now it is much easier to lift. This is true with heavy objects and in our lives. Sometimes really hard things happen to us that are so hard we need help from other people. Other times we will be there for other people to help them when they need help. Whether you need help or are helping someone else, talk to someone today about what is happening in your life and listen to them about what is happening in their life.

Prayer: God, You are amazing! Thank You for giving us the gift of each other. Thank You for giving us each other to help each other when hard things happen. Lord, help me love You more and love Your people more. Amen.