Rest For The Weary
Do you ever feel like this? Are you too tired to even lift your head and drink your cup of coffee?
Maybe you’re a mom who feels overwhelmed as you try to do ‘all the right things’ raising your children.
Or maybe you’re a single woman in college and you’re trying to study so you get good grades but at the same time …look pretty and have a social life with lots of friends.
Or maybe you’re a bit older and don’t recognize the person in the mirror anymore. You used to have energy to volunteer at church but now you wonder if it’s just time to retire and let the younger ones do it all.
I know what it’s like to try to do things well. Put a smile on my face, fix my makeup and hair, volunteer in the homebound ministry, teach the children in Bible study, be a loving wife, fix a gourmet dinner for my husband, clean the house, be a good neighbor, read the latest books, learn a new language, and on and on. No wonder I felt weary!
Well, I’ve found a solution for those of us who are weary. Listen to the invitation Jesus gives us in Matthew 11:28-30 (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.”
Did Jesus really say easy and light? Why am I so tired? After all, I thought I was doing lots of “good things”.
They used to place yokes upon two animals (oxen) to hold their heads in place so they could work together. It was a wooden bar or frame that joined them so they could share the heavy load. But if they fought the yoke, pain and difficulty would result.
How many times do you add extra burden upon yourself for the wrong reasons?
- Are you trying to look like the perfect wife, mother, daughter or student so you will feel good about yourself?
- Are you looking for some acknowledgement for all your good deeds and work?
- Do you become jealous when others receive accolades for who they are and what they’re doing when nobody seems to notice you?
- Or maybe you’ve become too attached to this world and you’re focusing on fitting in where …you really don’t belong?
Jesus has a perfect yoke and it’s different for each one of us. But we must stop, listen and then obey Him. He will adjust our yoke perfectly …according to His purpose for our lives.
Now, doesn’t that sound good? But we need to accept His invitation. And that involves going at His pace, in His timing and His way.
I struggle with this because my flesh wants to do things my own way. But in my heart, I know that God loves me and He has a plan and purpose for my life. He created me with unique gifts and abilities. So mine will be different from yours.
I don’t know about you but I don’t want to miss out on what God has for me in this season of my life. I don’t want to be too busy doing my own thing that seems to be good and …miss out on His best.
How about you?
Are you so busy doing good things for God or your family or yourself but find …you’re so weary?
Is it possible that for this season in your life, God’s best might be teaching your children and forget about focusing on that charity event? Are you involved in so many good church activities but neglecting to spend time with your husband?
I want to challenge you to take this Matthew passage seriously. Come before the Lord in prayer and accept His yoke.
And then look forward to finding out His best for you in this season of your life.
Blessings,
Debbie
Very beautiful my friend.
You are right, Debbie. We often ‘overload’ ourselves with good things. But often we forget about the best thing – spending time with the Lord and with our families.
Thank you for sharing your heart with us this morning — yes, I will take the passage to heart today.
Debbie, I laughed out loud at that picture! Loved what you had to say here today, I am guilty of becoming weary and overdoing things but I am so glad that I can just run to Gods safety and find rest in His arms. -Blessings, Laurie
Beautiful. I am guilty of that extra burden, I am my own worst enemy. Praise God I have a husband that keeps me accountable. Thank you for this timely post.
That is great Debbie. I can answer “yes” to a lot of your questions (at least at one time or another). More than anything I can feel overwhelmed when I think of everything I NEED to do.
What a great reminder to take on His yoke.
Bless you!
Debbie, I enjoyed reading your thoughts today. You always bring up some good questions to cause me to think. God bless you.
Amazing, I have just posted about finding rest and have used the same scripture. I will go back and add the URL for this post to my page to complement my post as what you have written is right on the money. I’ve had to curtail alot of my own wants to focus on my daughter who has just started school, so your post is a good reminder of what I need to do. 🙂
Hi Debbie,
Girl, this speaks to me. I seem to be on overload lately. I have been asking the Lord what I must prune from my life. Thank you for this post.
Excellent, Debbie! Excellent!
Debbie,
Thank you for the inspiration. We do have the tendency to think we should do more when we should be listening.
Love you,
rmj
There are so many good things, good areas of service, I often feel compelled. I really liked the insight that the person in the mirror is no longer the young energetic person she once was. I need to respect that about myself and I also need to cherish the time I have with my husband. Thank you Debbie for the reminder that Jesus’s yolk is easy and we are the one’s who make it hard.
Boy did I need this! I look and feel like the woman in the picture. Ouch!
Thank you for pointing me in the right direction.
Dear Debbie,
wisely spoken.
I can easy relate to the picture.
Been there many a time.
It is comforting that Christ doesn’t expect more of me than I can do.
I guess I’ll choose to live more relaxed considering people’s worldly standard, and put on my morning robe, laced with grace.
From Felisol