“Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty. As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once.”
Philippians 4:14-16 NLT
One of the most struggled with difficulties in biblical counseling seems to be the desire or actuality of sharing. The type of sharing I speak of isn’t the same as giving. Indeed, Christians can be extremely generous in a disciplined and useful way. But rather, sharing in the sense of vulnerability. Many Christians simply refuse to give and take of the unity of the body as it pertains to their mundane struggles and joys. This is only reserved for special events, such as Easter or Christmas, a wedding, or a funeral. Yet, Paul demonstrates a different ethic for Christian living. Here he commends an entire church body for knowing his struggles, taking sacrificial action toward them, and in doing so exemplifying Christ. It is a simple notion but one that is solely needed. As much as the Christian experience is about joy, a large portion of that joy comes from the shared experience and comraderie of a life lived together. Christianity has turned warring factions into nations and warring enemies into brothers. But we cannot partake in this blessing of it is not a prime directive to both, express and to carry our burdens. We should consider it a vital command as we seek to traverse this life. It is foundational to our maturity.
JOSH McGARY. COM 