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Written by Kat Bittner, volunteer and member of the Board of Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Colorado 
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2 NIV).
“A true relationship is two imperfect people refusing to give up on each other” (Unknown). That could not be a more fitting description for us as humans in relationship with each other. Relationships are often hard. They take a great deal of commitment and effort on our part to be even the least bit fulfilling. Our sinful nature, clothed in selfish desire, often keeps us from working on relationships as we should. But like anything else in life that is good, we need to ensure that God is at the forefront of our relationships and that He is the reason we do what we do. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men”
(Col. 3:23).
God designed relationship, and He designed it to be a reciprocal effort; each person brings something to the relationship that is equally satisfying. Consequently, the best relationships are enveloped in a common love (1 Cor. 13:4-7). The best relationships build us up rather than tear us down (1 Thes. 5:11). The best relationships are burdened relationships.
Burdened relationships are those that involve mutual dependence on each other. We should be dependent on others (most assuredly our sisters in Christ) for several things. We need each other for guidance as “the heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense,” and “as iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend” (Prov. 27:9,17 NLT). We need each other for spiritual restoration for “…sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path (Gal. 6:1). We need each other for instruction on how to live as godly women (Titus 2:3-5).
Perhaps the most important thing we can do for each other as sisters in Christ is to share those things which encumber or afflict us. Sin and the struggles of life can weigh us down with extreme heavyheartedness. The burdensome stuff of life can discourage and weaken our spiritual state. We should never be embarrassed or ashamed to share those things which weigh heavily on our hearts. The adage “there is strength in numbers” is very true, especially when it concerns our spiritual health. The author of Ecclesiastes proclaims that “two are better than one because they have a good reward for their labor…and a threefold cord is not quickly broken” (Eccl. 4:9,12 ASV).
We cannot do life in any capable fashion without strong relationships. We must be willing to share our burdens with our sisters in Christ. In doing so, we afford them the powerful healing that comes from prayer, thereby encouraging them on to a better, stronger faith. “Pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results” (James 5:16, NLT).
Our burdens need to be shouldered by each other so faith can reach its crowning achievement. Faith is made stronger when our relationships with each other better mimic our relationship with God. When our relationships with each other are more authentic, transparent, and persevering, we can better cope with the heaviness that life brings us and others. Shouldering our burdens with one another is a key element for building good relationships because it also demonstrates selflessness. And we truly live by the tenets of Jesus’ teaching when we humble ourselves enough to selflessly carry the burdens of others (Phil. 2:3, Rom. 13:8; Gal. 5:13; 2 Jn. 1:6). Even more wonderful is that we can have our burdens shouldered by Jesus, too. In fact, He expects it of us. He whose burden is light asks us to burden Himself with our heaviness. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened….my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matt. 11:28,30 NIV).
Sisters, we cannot afford to be stagnant or self-righteous in our relationships. Good relationships require effort and perseverance. We must be committed to working selflessly in our relationships if we are to be pleasing to God. Relationships can fuel our faith because they require a refusal to give up on each other just as God refuses to give up on us. God has “chosen you and will not throw you away” (Is. 41:9 NLT). A burdened relationship demonstrates a faithful work. It is a good thing! How will you be burdened by your relationships?
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Written by Nilaurys Garcia, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Canada 
What a joy it is when you get along with all of the people in your circle, or those with whom you associate. There is a sense of peace in those moments and it can be even a little scary because you wonder when something might go wrong in one of those relationships. If I tell you that having differences of opinion is normal and that you can't get along with everyone all of the time, chances are, you'd agree with me. It's easy to have a good relationship with someone with whom you always get along and who thinks like you. It requires more effort when there have been exchanges of not-so-friendly words or when the other person has hurt your feelings.
You may have heard the phrase, “divide and conquer.” It is a well-known strategy in games, in wars, and in situations where the enemy must be separated so their strength will be weakened, most of the time because they will not have the support of a team. Sometimes I have used this strategy to complete a project by having the team split up the tasks and thereby conquering the goal.
Taking it to a more personal and relational level, I have tried to divide or separate people from the way they behaved in the past. I remember who they are and how they responded, and that helps me have a clearer and more objective approach as I deal with the current situation. While a negative impression based on past events will certainly impact our response, it should not determine the way we deal with a current situation. When we separate the bad from the good, we will get better results. A relationship can change a lot when the context is changed, meaning the place, the other participants, and even the topics of conversation.
I like to think about the opposite of “divide and conquer,” the sum of everyone’s efforts can outweigh each individual’s work. It sounds a bit complicated, but there´s a reason why the opposite works very well against enemies. Returning to the strategy where activities are separated to achieve a common goal, much more can be achieved when we collaborate for the fulfillment of an objective since there is support and complement. A biblical example is that a rope made of three strands is more difficult to break. "
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken!" (Eccl. 4:12 NIV)
The relationship we have with Christ is easier if we do it in community, instead of trying to do it on our own. On more than one occasion I have needed help from my family in Christ to face a situation, reaffirm my faith, and get much closer to our Creator. When thinking about how to counteract the effects of division, a story that comes to mind is found in Exodus 17:8-13, when Joshua leads the people in battle against the Amalekites.
Moses supported the Israelite army from the top of a nearby hill by holding up the rod of God. If Moses lowered his arms, the enemy would overpower Joshua’s army. To achieve victory, Aaron and Hur supported Moses, holding up both of his arms until sunset. Isn't this story wonderful? I get excited knowing that the united support of a few and the efforts of many gave the victory to Israel. I wonder what would have happened if Aaron had been angry with Moses over some argument between brothers and refused to help him. It would be a very different ending.
Although I have had moments when I have wanted to surrender, I have had the support of the people with whom I have relationships to encourage me to move forward. I see this in the effort of my brethren in preventing the enemy from dividing and conquering me in my Christian walk. When we have differences with others, we cannot let disagreement become a barrier in our relationships, destroy unity, or let one of our brothers or sisters fall simply because they have a different opinion from ours. And at other times, it might very well be me that is the difficult person to love, and the one who needs my loved ones to see beyond my complicated attitude.
Would you join me in staying united to protect the people of God?