Bear With One Another

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. (EPHESIANS 2:2 NIV)

Troubled times—especially long, drawn-out ones—can bring out thoughts and actions we didn’t know we had in us. The power of fear—over the what-ifs of our lives, our futures, our families, our homes—is very real and can turn a normally calm and faith-filled person into one that’s edgy, impatient, snappy, and emotional. It’s easy to stand back and judge a person for their actions when fear has taken them over. In fact, we often do so without even thinking about it. But those of us on the sidelines watching are assigned to a much higher standard than that. At the very least, we are called to bear with one another. But what does that mean?

Initially, one might think “to put up with” or “tolerate” the annoying or offensive behavior until the other person has calmed down. But what it really means is to support, hold up, or sustain. In order to do that, though, one can’t stand on a sideline. It requires stepping in to help while not letting yourself get carried away by the problem too, the way a pole holds up a portion of bridge while currents of water rush around it. You’d think it’d take great strength to do this, but Paul tells us the opposite: it takes humility, gentleness, and patience.

Humility creates a caring heart that’s void of judgment; gentleness nurtures an approachable spirit for effective service; patience is the glue that binds them together. Once these pillars are in place, we’re able to truly bear with one another—not only in love, but in understanding, in mercy, in hope, and in grace. It’s the power of Jesus overcoming the power of fear in a way that pleases God and brings Him glory. No matter how bad things get, let us bear with one another through it all.

Lord,

I will be the first to confess I fall so short of bearing with others without judgment, and certainly not with patience. Please do a work in my heart to change this. Please remind me the next time I step back on a sideline that You want me to step toward someone who needs help.

I humbly ask and pray this in Your name. Amen.

This is an excerpt from God’s Truth for Troubled Times by Lisa Stilwell - a devotional book now available from DaySpring publishing. Learn more about this book, or shop other books & devotionals from DaySpring.