How many of you feel overwhelmed at times? Between family, work, church, home and all the other responsibilities we have, we can get stressed out and worn out. Yesterday I came home early to get ready for our Women of the Church meeting. Here’s what I intended to accomplish:
- Make two dishes for the potluck.
- Polish my devotion to share that evening.
- Check e-mail at home and at work.
- Work on my writing.
- Clean up a mess Thistle made before I left for work.
- Pick tomatoes and basil.
- Vacuum.
- And anything else I noticed needed doing before I left for church.
Here’s what I HAD to do. Nothing. If I had failed to accomplish any of those items on my list nothing terrible would have happened. Nothing even a little bit bad would have happened. So much of what overwhelms me and makes me tired is self-imposed. And it’s good to work hard and strive to achieve. It’s good to make cupcakes to share with friends. It’s good to keep up with the office when I’m out. It’s good to have a clean(ish) house. The problem is I try to do those things with my own ability—under my own steam. And often, for my own, selfish reasons.
Matthew 11:28-30 – “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.”
I didn’t understand this for a long time. How could it be good to have a yoke draped across my shoulders? Then someone pointed out that yokes were often made for oxen to pull something together. If I’m pulling side-by-side with Jesus, well, I’m guessing he’s taking the bulk of the weight. If I’m exhausted, maybe I need to make sure I’m pulling with Jesus and not against him.
So often I strike out on my own. I think God calls us not only to rest, but in that rest, to spend time with Him learning what it is He means for us to be doing with our lives. And it may not be baking cupcakes.
