Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take My Yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My Yoke is easy to bear and the burden I give you is light. Matthew 11:28-30
How is your soul? Is your soul light, filled with promise, hope, joy and peace? Or are you stressed or worried, feeling burdened or weary? What if true rest was as simple as an exchange? Well guess what? It really is. Jesus says take MY yoke upon you and learn from Me. He promises that His Yoke is easy and His burden is light and that we find "rest for our souls." What are you carrying in your soul that you were never meant to carry?
A yoke is a wooden crosspiece that is fastened over the necks of two animals and attached to the plow or cart that they are to pull. This not only directs them but also binds them. There are yokes we carry in this world that we may allow to direct us or bind us that were never from God. For example, the yoke of being directed by our own self-will, or the yoke of negative thoughts of our own that were never God’s thoughts, or even unharnessed emotions, these type of yokes ensnare us. But when our souls are submitted to God’s Word, then our will, thoughts, and emotions are empowered.
Jesus invites us to come and “learn from Him". I often find when reading the Bible and spending time with God, that learning from Him fortifies my soul. He encourages me, He shows me that I'm not alone and that my life is in His Hands. He calms all my fears. His Word teaches me how to lighten up and not carry heavy burdens.
If you’re weighed down by guilt of your sin, or burdened by fear of the unknown or even burdened by pressure you’ve put on yourself, God wants us to remember that He’s right in the midst of our lives helping us navigate this journey of life. He wants us to know His Love for us is extravagant and that we don’t need to worry. He wants us to trade the yoke that burdens us for His Peace, His Joy, His Friendship, and Fellowship. In exchange we carry His burden, which is light.
So what is this “light” burden? It is Jesus! Jesus is the answer to any burden or weight you may carry. Yet, many won’t ask of Him or learn from Him. Could His burden simply be that we “learn from Him?” He knows He is the answer but do we? His burden is so light it’s as simple as encouraging someone or praying with someone, or even going to have a meal with someone.
Jesus really did all of the "heavy-lifting" at the cross, we get the light stuff. I would challenge you to allow your "soul" rest. Our soul is our mind, our will, and our emotions. Jesus calls us to Him and gives our souls rest. What are you carrying in your soul that you were never meant to carry? I challenge you to take His Yoke and lighten up!
Prayer
Father I thank You that Your Yoke is easy and Your burden is light, thank you for giving my soul rest, help me learn from You Lord, I pray in Jesus Name. Amen!
Let me hear from you! Please share! How is your soul?
