Overloaded

Have you ever felt like the weight of the world was completely on your shoulders? Where you have so much weighing on your mind that you just can’t take any more? I was there a few days ago. I was feeling pressure from so many different angles that all I could do was just cry. I tried to pray about it, but I couldn’t because I was so overwhelmed. Then I was reminded of Matthew 11:28-30 which says:

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” 

In these verses, Jesus was talking to the Jewish people who were weighed down by so many commandments and religious regulations that they couldn’t follow all of them. Try as they might, these rules were impossible to adhere to, separating them from God. When Jesus said “my yoke” he was talking about his teaching, his doctrine. He had two commandments: Love God, Love People. That’s about it.

I’ve always stopped there in my application of this verse, but let’s take this a step further. What if Jesus didn’t just want us to take on what he said about God, but how he lived. I’m not saying that we should all go out and sell everything we have, buy some sandals and wander around the world. If God, tell you to do that, great, but that’s not for everyone. Jesus had to be in constant communication with God and was always having to trust Him. Jesus didn’t have a home, he didn’t have a means of income, so he was always having to trust that God would provide. Jesus was fully man and it hurt when he was rejected, so he had to trust that his Father knew what he was doing. I think he was able to do this because he was in constant contact and communication with God.

When I’m not spending enough time with God then my worry increases and my trust in him decreases. When I don’t pray the way I should I begin to take those stressors and problems in my life and put them back on my shoulders, instead of being able to give them up and rest in God.

I want to encourage you to take on Jesus’ yoke. Not just his teachings on love, but how he lived his life. If you’re feeling weary, run to him and take him up on this promise. Let him give you rest.