I was shaking all over; my hand that I had just joined with others to lay on my sister was hurting real bad. Within a few minutes, I was sweaty and I could certainly feel some kind of illness manifesting in an otherwise healthy me an hour or two ago.
Somehow, I realised that something had been transferred but not really in a bad way, I asked the others to pray for me and they did. A few days later, I was actually ill; then I received another call to tell me of another sister dear to me who had had to have a major surgery and I was asked to pray along. The more I prayed, the more it seemed that I was becoming sick.
I knew I had symptoms of ailments I really didn’t have, and I knew that it was because somehow deep down; I was interceding with everything within me for my sisters. Eventually, someone pointed out to me that I was what you will call a ‘burden bearer’. Then I realised that it wasn’t the first time I had gone through this; I just didn’t understand it too clearly…but now I do.
To the glory of God, both sisters are doing fine and I am too. But that is how ‘close’ to the pain of others I have had to go, it got me thinking about how Jesus would have felt on the cross when he had to bear in him all the sins of mankind and I shudder as I wonder.
Being a Pastor’s wife, does come with its perks if you like, but really it is a position where I have had to constantly bear others up, wait with them for their husbands to return…and not sleep as long as they don’t. I have had to wake up at night to weep because I can tell that my sister weeps over her child who it seems cannot find his way.
I have had to stay up because I didn’t know what to say to the very young woman who had suddenly become a widow. In all these, I find that my body is the worse for wear because of the burden that we are called to bear, and it is a burden I bear with honour, recognising that it is an honour to be able to stand with my people and travel with them through the rough terrain just as I am able to dance and rejoice with them in the joyful moments.
My understanding piqued after the last experience because I began to see that somehow, even though I am not the Pastor’s wife who is called to preach and teach, I am the PW who is called to literarily bear the burden of my people because their destinies are part of my living out mine.
I am called to be the PW who is strong in intercession, and as long as I understand that every time I have to live through their physical pain with them, God knits us even stronger in love, I am honoured to stand.
The issue of what specific roles a PW can play therefore doesn’t arise with me. I may not be able to do anything else, but I am so glad I can pray; and because of the phases my body goes through, I can tell that God does heal and deliver.
For me, the most important part therefore, of being a PW is that I get to stand at the threshing floor to transact for the destinies of those God has given us to watch.
I am grateful for this opportunity; and even though most of what I am called to do is behind the scenes, I give God the glory that he keeps me and he hears my intercessions.
Perhaps you are like me, the glitz and glamour of the pulpit is not where you thrive, it is fine, because I have learnt that as long as I am that which I am called to be, then I am living my destiny and I am in the will of God.
I am a PW, my name is Rose and I am a burden bearer. May all the destinies you transact for, yield a return, in Jesus name.
—Rose