Restore
Brothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
– Galatians 6:1-2
Paul gives believers a clear and compassionate responsibility: when someone stumbles, we are not to condemn, isolate, or shame them—we are to restore them. And not with harshness or superiority, but with gentleness and self-awareness. We are not exempt from weakness ourselves.
The goal is restoration, not punishment. When we see another believer struggling—whether morally, spiritually, or in their understanding—we are called to come alongside them, helping them stand again. But we do so gently, knowing that we, too, are prone to fall.
This passage also calls us to carry each other’s burdens. In a divided and individualistic world, that may feel unnatural. But in the body of Christ, it is how we fulfill the law of love—the law of Christ Himself. When someone’s burden is different from ours, even uncomfortable or confusing, we don’t walk away. We stay, we listen, we bear part of the weight.
Questions
1. How do you typically respond when a fellow Christian is struggling or in error?
2. What does it mean to restore someone gently rather than judge them harshly?
3. Whose burden might God be calling you to help carry today?
Suggested Activity
Think of someone in your life who may be struggling—perhaps with sin, doubt, grief, or confusion. Reach out to them today with kindness. Offer a prayer, a listening ear, or a word of encouragement. Let them know they’re not alone.
Prayer
Lord God,
You are gentle with me when I fall. You lift me up instead of casting me aside. Help me to do the same for others. Make me someone who restores, not someone who shames. Show me how to carry another’s burden with love and care. And when I feel weak, remind me that we all depend on Your grace.
In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
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