Life’s Burdens

Too often we get wrapped up in our own burdens and forget about those of others.  I am generally a very empathetic person who who can listen to someone’s problems and try to help them make sense of it.  Sometimes, I fail to listen to the problems of others, or I do not let others know that they can come to me with their problems.  I try to always be helpful to others, because I hope that one day they will be there for me if I need them.  It’s what I talked about last Sunday with the Golden Rule.

This Sunday, we had a guest preacher at our church who discussed life’s burdens.  The biblical text for his sermon came from Galatians Chapter 6:

Brothers, even if a man is caught in some fault, you who are spiritual must restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to yourself so that you also aren't tempted.
Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
For if a man thinks himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
But let each man test his own work, and then he will take pride in himself and not in his neighbor.
For each man will bear his own burden.

Galatians 6: 1-5

Our preacher used the topic of burdens this week because it was something that had weighed heavily on his mind all week.  He had a friend who committed suicide earlier in the week.  As our preacher said, he had a burden that he could not bear, and he was not able to help him with that burden.  He couldn’t help because he did not know of the burden until it was too late.  I happen to have known this man also as an acquaintance, though he had never been one that I particularly liked or trusted, but I am not here to judge.  When this man committed suicide, he made a very selfish decision.  Instead of getting help for his burdens, he added more to his friends and family.

The point of telling you all this is because gay men suffer from suicide more often than any other group.  Some people don’t have the support needed to bear the burden of being gay or closeted.  They come to their wits end and no of no other way out.  There is always another way out.  When you take your own life, you are performing a selfish act.  The burden moves from you to those who knew you.  There is help out there.  Many of us bloggers are willing to lend a shoulder to cry on.  We can listen to your problems.  But there is other help as well.  Maybe it is a teacher or professor that you trust.  Ministers are not always the best for this, because some ministers do not follow the idea of Christian love and acceptance.  But maybe there is a family friend or a friend that you can trust.  If there is, share your burden with them.  If you truly feel completely alone, call one of the many suicide hotlines.  Here are a few resources:

Need Help Now?
Call 911
or
1-800-SUICIDE
(1-800-784-2433)
or
1-800-273-TALK
(1-800-273-8255)
or
LGBT Youth
Suicide Hotline:
1-866-4-U-TREVOR

If you have read my blog for a while, you know that I am a Christian, maybe not everyone would agree with that, but I am.  I take my faith very seriously.  Both of my blogs are to uplift the spirit and help others to dismiss their burdens for just a little while.  I hope that I do that.  We should all reach out to those that we can help.  I hope that you will never turn away someone who needs you.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend.  I apologize if this post is a bit of a downer, but after the message I heard this morning, I felt that is was too important not to share.