Scripture: Galatians 6:2
Through my divorce, I felt as if I was falling apart.
There are parts of that season I choose to keep private. But I can share that my faith felt loud and quiet at the same time. Loud with questions. Quiet when I did not know what to say.
I remember reading a book called Falling Apart in One Piece. That title stayed with me because it reflected how I felt: trying to continue with everyday life while so much within me was hurting.
My prayer was simple:
“God, use my life for Your will.”
I did not know how He would answer. Looking back, I recognize His care through my immediate family and church community. They gave me something I deeply needed: permission to be myself without pretending everything was okay.
God calls us to carry one another’s burdens
Galatians 6:2 teaches us to carry each other’s burdens and, in doing so, fulfill the law of Christ.
That gives us a clear picture of Christian community. We are called to help one another bear what is heavy. Jesus commands His followers to love one another as He has loved them (John 13:34). Carrying a burden is one way that love becomes visible.
My family and church community could not undo what I was experiencing. But their support meant I did not have to face it alone.
Being allowed to be myself mattered. I did not need to arrive with an explanation, a smile, or proof that I was getting better. I could be hurting and still belong.
Their care helped me see that God had not forgotten me while I was struggling.
Receiving care takes trust
Accepting support was difficult because I had been used to figuring things out since childhood.
When you are accustomed to managing on your own, letting someone help can feel unfamiliar. You may appreciate their kindness while still struggling to receive it.
But the call to carry one another’s burdens also invites us to acknowledge when we have a burden. We cannot always be the person giving support. Sometimes we need to receive it.
In 1 Corinthians 12:21, Paul describes the church as a body whose members cannot say to one another, “I don’t need you.” We belong to one another, and each person has something to offer.
That truth challenged my habit of figuring everything out myself. Accepting care gave others an opportunity to love me. It also helped me recognize how God works through relationships.
We can keep parts of our story private and still admit that we need someone beside us.
The care we receive can shape the care we give
My experience of support reaches beyond the divorce. After having my son, I noticed my family’s care in a meaningful way. My church community also offered him mentorship.
Knowing that others were willing to invest in him meant a great deal to me. Their support became part of both our lives.
Over time, I realized that everyone is looking for a community. Everyone has a story. I wanted to be part of that journey.
Second Corinthians 1:3–4 describes God as the source of comfort and teaches that the comfort we receive from Him equips us to comfort others. My experience helped me understand that passage personally.
I knew what it meant to need a place where I could be myself. That shaped how I wanted to welcome people through my work at La Sierra University Church.
At the church office, I have welcomed people who had been released from prison and helped connect them with our pastoral staff. I do not know every part of their stories. But I can listen, offer respect, and help them take the next step toward support.
Romans 15:7 calls us to welcome one another as Christ has welcomed us. That makes a welcome more than a polite gesture. It is part of how we practice our faith.
A person walking through the door may be wondering whether there is a place for them. The way we receive them matters.
God meets us where we are
If you feel alone, ashamed, or unsure how to begin again, it is okay to acknowledge those feelings.
Psalm 62:8 invites us to pour out our hearts before God because He is our refuge. We can bring Him what we are actually experiencing, including the feelings we struggle to explain.
God loves to meet us wherever we are. He is a God of renewal.
That does not mean every question will be answered immediately. In my own life, I can see how His care came through people while I was still trying to understand what came next.
My faith felt loud and quiet. I was hurting, and I was still praying. I was used to figuring things out, and I needed the care of others.
God met me there.
My prayer remains, “God, use my life for Your will.” Part of His answer has been the opportunity to offer others the welcome and connection I once needed myself.
Everyone has a story. We can make room to listen.
And wherever we are in that story, Jesus loves us.
A question for reflection
Where do you need help carrying a burden—and who could experience Christ’s welcome through you this week?
A short prayer
God, use my life for Your will. Help me receive support when I need it and recognize when someone else needs care. Teach me to listen, welcome others, and carry their burdens with love. Thank You for meeting me where I am and renewing my hope. Amen.