Jesus did not – could not – carry the cross by himself. He needed help. It was too much of a burden for any one man, let alone one who had been beaten, to carry. Those who led him to Calvary saw this and provided him with the help he needed. As far as we can tell, Simon was not a willing participant in this. He was compelled to do so.

As we carry our crosses, God often sends someone to help us. We don’t carry our crosses alone. We, as followers of Christ, are also compelled to help others as they carry their crosses. I know from my own experience that whenever my cross seems too hard to bear, someone always comes along to help me.