Video Transcript
So, the portion of scripture that we went through today asked us to bear each other’s burdens. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 reinforces that, and says build one another up and encourage one another as you are already doing. So, we do know that it’s for all of us to do but the point you’re making about your own feelings of inadequacy, the fact that you’re still dealing with your own failures and shortcomings, I think part of the message also refers to how you can help yourself. It requires some insight into your own self.
So, an analogy I like to use is when a new Christian says how can I share the gospel when I don’t know that much? At a minimum when you want to share the gospel, you share your own testimony of faith; this is why I believe and this is why I’ve come to faith. You’re not asked to preach any long theological message, just testify. When we are asking the same thing as young Christians dealing with your own failures and shortcomings, there’s something similar that you will do. Some insight into your own self should give you insight as to how you’re dealing with your own sins. Are you going back to the cross? Are you getting help from Jesus? Are you unburdening yourself to your brothers and sisters? Are you getting instruction in wisdom and how to navigate those things? And if you are dealing with that, if you’re able to say yes I’m actually walking a path where I’m dealing with my own sins, then you are qualified to help somebody else. If you are caught up in conceit, you never repent of your sins, you never admit your failures and faults, there is a problem. I don’t think you’re at that point where you can help others, remember the point is that you deal with yourself so that you’re able to bear your own load first and then you can bear somebody else’s burden. So as a young christian or old christian still burdened with many things, start to deal with yourself first, start to get some insight as to perhaps how you deal with your own sins. If you’re dealing with them successfully, that pattern of successfully dealing with your sin, repenting, going to God, rejoicing in his forgiveness, receiving confidence and assurance back as a christian, practicing things that help you to overcome that sin, to the place where you can say, yeah my today is better than my yesterday, that process is what you use to share with your fellow brother and sister. It’s nothing, there’s no high theology to bring to bear, so every christian can do that work.
Now we always say that young christians are not appointed to officially do that work as pastors or leaders because the Bible says they may fall into a snare of temptation of the devil, so sometimes in terms of a formal responsibility for counselling or pastoring you may say a more mature Christian may be appointed to do that but all of us if you can go through that process of accountability and growth, we’re able to help.
Answered by Yemi Osinubi, leader at City Church, Lagos