‘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.’ (vv28–29) Matthew 11:25–30
At times, we feel the weight of life heavy upon our shoulders. It takes the edge off everything. There are remedies, many quite debilitating. Those in management roles tell me they get home and reach for a glass of wine to relax them. I’m not critical; I’ve had my flirtations with dependence on wine, both the buzz and to quieten my anxiety.
Burden is an idea that originates from the drone we associate with bees. What starts as a background sound we can easily ignore, eventually dominates and becomes all we can hear, interrupting our peace of mind and the focus of every waking moment.
Any of us can be subject to a dominant theme that grows into an intolerable burden to wear us down. Many marriages lose their way; distance grows between child and parent, work pressures no longer lift on our commute home.
Again, God invites us to respond to His invitation to lay our burdens on Him. In exchange, we yoke ourselves to God so that now we work in concert in managing them better. Whilst solutions aren’t immediately apparent, we can find confidence, despite our worst fears, and experience inner peace.
This is a process we improve as we move through life. We can learn to exchange fear and anxiety for the presence of God as we are joined in heart with our loving Father.
SCRIPTURE TO CONSIDER: Psa. 55:1–8,16–22; 145:14–21; Phil. 4:6–9; 1 Pet. 5:5–10.
AN ACTION TO TAKE: Are the ways you process life’s stress points healthy? Do you find Jesus a source of help in alleviating such stress?
A PRAYER TO MAKE: ‘Lord, teach me to bring my burdens to You daily, and find my promised rest. Amen.’
Photo by Simon D Allen on Pixabay
