Bear with one another
Rev Charlie (August 2020)
We are living through some very strange and unsettling times and whilst the COVID-19 pandemic has been less prevalent here in Queensland, the impact has still been felt. Parents have had to home-school their children, some have lost their jobs or had their work hours reduced, many have been prevented from seeing loved ones at home or abroad and holidays have been cancelled or put on hold. Moreover, the news from other parts of the world has been disconcerting as we witness a highly unusual level of global flux. The cumulative effect of all this is to put people on edge. Many people are experiencing heightened levels of stress and anxiety, perhaps without even realising it.
Relationships are tested in times of stress, be they at work, at home, or in the church. You may have noticed that some of your relationships are more fraught than usual, or that you are finding it harder to be kind and patient. Maybe you have been on the receiving end of an explosive outburst from a friend, family member or work colleague. All of this is symptomatic of a general increase in people’s stress levels.
The question is, how do we, the church, respond to this by-product of recent events? Well, the first thing is to recognise that it is happening and make allowances for it. Ephesians 4:2 says, ‘Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.’ It is much easier to ‘bear with’ someone when we have insight into factors that may be causing them additional stress. Moreover, because we understand that we might be less inclined to be humble, gentle, patient and loving, we make an extra effort to be so.
More than ever, the world needs the church to be a source of inspiration and hope. Only by remaining unified can we be as a light, shining into the darkness of our world. In many ways, society is becoming increasingly disconnected and divided; however, the church is called to buck that trend. We are the Spirit-filled body of Christ and we must pull together more than ever, as we put our hope in the God who is over all and through all and in all.
Galatians 4: 1-5
4 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
