“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28–29 (NIV)
I have been tired lately. Somehow the weariness of life has crept down into my bones. Busy weekdays have bled into even busier weekends. This morning I found myself crawling out of bed only to want to crawl back in. Coffee is just not cutting it. I know that sooner or later something is going to give. Most likely it will be my cheery nature. It will be replaced by the cranky, whiny person that I become when I have too little time and too much to do in it.
I have been thinking about rest. True rest. It is something that Jesus offers us but we often bypass in the craziness of life. He calls to the weary and the worn in this world who are struggling to bear up under what life has handed them. That is us. When He offers His yoke, He is offering to share the load. He wants to shift our burdens to His shoulders. He wants to offer His strength in place of our weakness. He wants to partner with us in life and teach us how to live. And I, for one, am ready for this shift.
I can feel the dragging of my spirit and the weight of worry and anxiety pressing down on me. Jesus offers a different way of living. A way to rely on Him and follow His lead. In exchange, I get to rest. This is an offer I can’t refuse.
Faith Step: Make a list of your worries, your responsibilities and the things that are weighing on you. Ask Jesus for His guidance, His direction and His wisdom as you plan out your day and commit these things to His care.
