Burdened

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9 NIV)

Last night at our church service a Spirit-led man had a public prophetic word of encouragement for a mom who has single parented her now sixteen-year-old son for the last fourteen years. The message was basically “Give me [Jesus] the burden you carry for your son. Slide it off your shoulders and into my hands. I will take care of him. Imagine yourself laying him on the altar and leaving him there. I will take care of him. I will take care of him.” Many of us carry burdens for other people – loved ones we want to see saved, those we know who are living lives as prodigals, friends or family members struggling with severe health or relationship challenges, specific tasks or projects we oversee, or those exerting extra effort to provide for their families in challenging economic times. The list of “burdens” could go on and on, but I expect that by now you’ve thought of a couple of your own.

Last night at church I had to admit to God that there were at least four situations in my life that I was worrying about. In a somewhat lengthy discourse in Matthew 6 Jesus tells his listeners NOT to worry, ending with, “Refuse to worry about tomorrow, but deal with each challenge that comes your way, one day at a time.   Tomorrow will take care of itself.” (Matthew 6:34 TPT) Not just “do not worry,” this tells us to REFUSE to worry. Why? Because Jesus invites us. “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.” (Matthew 11:28-30 NIV)

I had to admit to God that I had been carrying burdens in these four areas that I needed to trade for his light and easy yoke. A yoke keeps the oxen or cattle under the direction of their driver, able to work together and accomplish what needs to be done. Similarly, when we are under the “yoke” of the Holy Spirit’s guidance in our lives, we get much more Kingdom work accomplished than when we take on burdens we weren’t meant to carry. Do I have responsibilities to carry out in these four areas? Yes, undoubtedly. But they were never meant to be burdens. Today, let us recognize the places we are unnecessarily burdened and invite God to take our burdens, give us his light and easy yoke, and give us rest and peace.

Jesus,

Thank you for the reminder that your yoke is easy and your burden is light. When we are feeling the burdens in our lives, help us to release them to you – to slide them off our shoulders – knowing that your yoke will give us direction, purpose, and peace. Help us to persevere under Holy Spirit’s leading and not become weary of the callings you place on our lives. Help us be patient as we await the harvest and the blessings of finishing the work you have set before us. Praise be to you, our God and Savior, who daily bears our burdens. In your name we pray, Amen.

“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,
    who daily bears our burdens.” (Psalm 68:19 NIV)