Matthew Chapter 11: Verses 28-30 (NIV)
“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. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
1 John 5: verses 2-4 (NIV)
This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.
Sometimes we can be guilty, as Christians of feeling that we have to do things for God, and we can rush about getting involved in all sorts of things. In doing so we can be in danger of wearing ourselves out. That’s not what God wants. John reminds us in his letter that God only wants us to do the things He asks of us. And the things that He asks of us are not a burden to us. If we feel that what we are doing is causing us stress, or we feel they are a burden then we need to look at what we are doing, but also closely examine our motives.
Jesus taught the same thing when He said that we needed to learn from Him. If we feel stressed and overworked, actually about any situation, not just our spiritual life we are not sharing the load with Jesus.
In Bible times oxen always worked in pairs so that they could share the load. And thankfully, Jesus wants to share ours!
Dear Lord,
I’m grateful that You never push us too hard, and when You do ask something of us, Jesus is there to share the load with us. Help me to prove my love for You through my obedience. I ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.