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Called to Care: Christian Caregiving

Called to Care: Christian Caregiving

Living Word Lutheran offers an eight-week course on Christian caregiving, examining how believers are called to minister to those who are suffering. The course covers various aspects of suffering including grief, depression, and practical guidance for using Scripture in caregiving situations.

Course Overview

As Christians, all believers are called to be caregivers. Everyone deals with suffering in this lifetime - no one escapes it because we live in a world tainted by sin (Called to Care: Lesson 8, 1:47). Suffering can manifest through mind, body, or spirit, and often suffering in one area opens the door for spiritual suffering, which is where Christian caregivers have a unique role to play.

The Christian Response to Suffering

A Different Message

Believers offer a fundamentally different message than the world. While the world encourages placing hope entirely in medicine, self-reliance, and human solutions, Christians acknowledge that only God can deliver true peace and comfort that surpasses understanding (Called to Care: Lesson 8, 2:59). This doesn't mean being anti-medicine - modern medical care is a blessing from God through His guidance of scientists and doctors - but ultimate trust must be in God alone.

The Primary Purpose

The number one purpose in Christian caregiving is to direct the one who is suffering to God (Called to Care: Lesson 8, 4:43). This fundamental principle guides all caregiving interactions and establishes the foundation for spiritual care.

Caregiving vs. Cure Giving

A crucial distinction in Christian caregiving is understanding the difference between caring for someone and curing them. As believers, we are not saviors - we cannot cure anyone, but we can care for those around us (Called to Care: Lesson 5, 2:00). Many people struggle with a "savior complex," thinking they can solve all problems, but this places an impossible burden on the caregiver and unrealistic expectations on the suffering person.

The Christian caregiver's responsibility is to care for and nurture the sufferer, creating a space where healing and growth can happen - not healing that we give, but that God gives (Called to Care: Lesson 5, 2:34). We direct the sufferer to God so that growth, healing, and curing can happen through Him.

Christ as the Ultimate Healer

Isaiah 53:4-5 reminds us that Christ "has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases" and "by his bruises we are healed" (Called to Care: Lesson 5, 3:44). Jesus is the one who hung on the cross, carrying our diseases, transgressions, and iniquities. He is the one through whom we have curing and healing.

As 1 Corinthians 3:6-7 teaches: "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth" (Called to Care: Lesson 5, 5:02). Christian caregivers plant and water by turning sufferers toward God, but only God causes the actual growth and transformation.

Freedom from Burden

Understanding that God is the Cure-giver lifts the burden from caregivers. When someone comes with suffering, we often worry because we put pressure on ourselves to cure the person and have all the answers (Called to Care: Lesson 5, 14:12). Making the distinction between God being the Cure-giver and us being caregivers frees us from that impossible responsibility and opens up the relationship to genuinely direct the sufferer to God.

This distinction also prevents caregiver burnout and frustration when people don't heal according to our expectations or timeline (Called to Care: Lesson 5, 15:59).

Responding to Questions About God's Goodness

The Challenge of Theodicy

One of the most common questions caregivers encounter is how a good God can allow suffering and evil to exist. This subject, known as theodicy, addresses how to justify God's goodness in light of suffering and evil (Comforting Others Session 2, 10:15). Many view this as Christianity's weakness, but Scripture provides clear guidance for addressing these concerns.

Understanding Evil and God's Sovereignty

Evil is fundamentally sin, as described in Romans 3:10 which states "there is no one righteous, not even one" (Comforting Others Session 2, 11:00). God forbids evil and does not will it, as Isaiah 1:16 commands to "cease to do evil" (Comforting Others Session 2, 15:28).

While God is sovereign and sometimes prevents evil (as shown in Genesis 20:6), He also allows evil at times according to His purposes (Comforting Others Session 2, 18:27). When God allows evil, He always uses it and governs it according to His purpose, as demonstrated in the story of Joseph (Genesis 50:20).

God's Greater Purpose

Romans 9:22-23 explains that God allows evil to demonstrate His holiness and make known the riches of His glory for those who receive mercy (Comforting Others Session 2, 25:50). We understand God's mercy and grace precisely because evil exists - without evil, we could never comprehend the depths of God's goodness.

Pointing to the Cross

When addressing questions about God's goodness, caregivers can point to the ultimate demonstration of God's love: the cross. Romans 5:8 declares "God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us" (Comforting Others Session 2, 29:20). Isaiah 53:3-5 prophesies that Christ "was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities" and "by his bruises we are healed" (Comforting Others Session 2, 30:59).

Jesus and Suffering

Christ's role in suffering is central to Christian caregiving. As 2 Corinthians 5:21 states: "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (Called to Care: Lesson 8, 5:24).

Jesus became sin itself and took upon Himself all the suffering of all ages - past, present, and future. This means when Jesus says "I am with you always," part of that promise includes knowing He walks with sufferers, having already experienced their suffering on the cross (Called to Care: Lesson 8, 7:14).

Using Scripture in Caregiving

Daily Preparation

Effective Christian caregivers must be familiar with God's Word through daily study and personal devotional time (Called to Care: Lesson 8, 7:49). The more Scripture is written on hearts and minds, the more readily it will be available to share with others.

Developing Scripture Resources

While it's natural to have favorite "go-to" passages for comfort, caregivers should continuously expand their biblical knowledge. When reading Scripture personally, it's valuable to: - Write down verses that bring comfort or peace - Note why specific passages are meaningful - Record thoughts about how verses address different situations - Build a collection of texts for various caregiving needs

(Called to Care: Lesson 8, 8:19)

God doesn't intend for believers to hoard His Word for themselves. As caregivers grow in faith through Scripture study, they're equipped to share that comfort with others (Called to Care: Lesson 8, 10:10).

Setting Boundaries

Christian caregivers must remember they are not Jesus - they cannot save or cure anyone, but they can provide care (Called to Care: Lesson 8, 11:01). Jesus instructs believers to "yoke yourself to me because my burden is light" - only Jesus can truly carry life's heavy burdens. In Him, we find rest for our souls, and caregivers should direct sufferers to this ultimate source of peace (Called to Care: Lesson 8, 11:25).

The Role of Prayer in Caregiving

Overcoming Discomfort

Many people feel uncomfortable praying aloud with others, similar to feeling uncomfortable around suffering (Called to Care: Lesson 8, 12:31). However, this discomfort shouldn't prevent prayer in caregiving situations.

Understanding Jesus' Teaching on Prayer

Matthew 6:5-6 is sometimes misinterpreted as prohibiting public prayer. However, the context shows Jesus warning against hypocritical prayer for show, not genuine prayer with others (Called to Care: Lesson 8, 14:03).

Christian caregivers pray with others not for recognition or praise, but genuinely seeking God's healing, comfort, peace, and ease for the suffering person (Called to Care: Lesson 8, 15:03).

Jesus' Model for Prayer

In the same chapter, Jesus provides the Lord's Prayer as a model (Matthew 6:9-13). This prayer covers everything needed for caregiving situations and can be used when other words don't come easily (Called to Care: Lesson 8, 15:25).

Biblical Commands to Pray

Scripture consistently commands believers to pray for one another:

Practical Prayer Guidelines

When praying with others: - Pray immediately when asked, don't just say "you're in my prayers" (Called to Care: Lesson 8, 21:12) - Use "we" language instead of "I" language to include the person in the prayer (Called to Care: Lesson 8, 22:44) - Take notes during conversation to remember prayer requests - Remember you're praying TO God, not to the suffering person

Resources for Prayer

Caregivers have abundant prayer resources in Scripture: - The Psalms contain many prayers - Paul's written prayers throughout his epistles - The Lord's Prayer - The Ten Commandments - Any biblical text can be used in prayer

(Called to Care: Lesson 8, 25:32)

The Spirit's Role

Romans 8:26-27 provides crucial encouragement: "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God who searches the heart knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God" (Called to Care: Lesson 8, 26:31).

This passage assures caregivers that even when they don't know what to say, the Spirit is interceding on their behalf and knows both their hearts and God's heart.

Paul's Prayer Example

Ephesians 3:14-21 contains a beautiful prayer that serves as a model for caregivers. Paul prays that believers would be strengthened in their inner being, that Christ would dwell in their hearts, and that they would comprehend "the breadth and length and height and depth" of Christ's love ([Called to Care: Lesson 8, 27:58](