“Help carry each other’s burdens. In this way you will follow Christ’s teachings.” Galatians 6:2 (GW)

Small groups are one way we can obey the Bible when it says: “Help carry each other’s burdens. In this way you will follow Christ’s teachings” (Galatians 6:2 GW).

Here’s an interesting thing: When you share a joy, it’s doubled. When you share a sorrow, it’s halved.

If you come to small group and say, “Guess what! I just got promoted,” everybody rejoices with you. Your joy is exponentially multiplied. When you share your joy with others, it is maximized.

If you come to small group and share that a family member just died or that you got bad news from your doctor, then your sorrow is halved. You don’t have to carry that burden alone.

In either case, sharing is good for you. The Bible tells us, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15 ESV). And 1 Corinthians 12:26 says, “If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts suffer with it” (GNT).

I might not still be here if it hadn’t been for my small group taking me through the worst year of my life. After my son died, we were standing in front of his house, waiting for the police to arrive. Within an hour, our entire small group showed up. They didn’t do anything. They didn’t say anything. They were just there for us.

That night, our small group came to our house and spent the night. We didn’t have beds for everybody. They slept on couches, on the floor, and in chairs. They said, “We’re not leaving you alone.” They wept with us. They suffered with us. That’s what a small group does.

Do you have anybody like that in your life? Are you that kind of support to anyone else? You may think you don’t need one, but a small group can be a lifeline when the disasters of life come. 

Whether they’re maximizing your joy or sharing your pain, a small group is where the body of Christ exemplifies Jesus’ teachings to love and care for each other.