Have you ever been worn out, tired, exhausted, etc?
Obvious answer there. But isn’t it interesting that so many times we take some time, get some rest, yet still feel exhausted? Ever been there? I have. My wife and I took a vacation recently. It was just the two of us – no kids. This rarely happens… meaning never.
We left feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, tired, and desperate for rest. While on our trip, we got some physical rest. We slept late (even though that means a totally different thing once you have three small children – can I get an amen from the parents out there?) and purposely put ourselves in situations of relaxation. No real agenda. No appointments or meetings. No time to have to be somewhere.
But within a day of getting back, the exhaustion set in again. It was soon like we’d never left. Why is that?
The answer, I think, lies within something I shared with our worship team at rehearsal on Wednesday night. We can get all of the physical rest in the world, but ultimately, we need rest for our souls. What does that look like? Let’s look to Jesus:
“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
Easier said than done, huh?
There are a few parts to this, I think. First off, we have to “come to Jesus.” We have to approach Him in prayer, on our knees, seeking rest that comes only from Him. In addition, we must “learn from Jesus.” We have to let Jesus teach us through His Word. Spending daily time in the Bible is so crucial to the daily walk of someone who professes to be a follower of Jesus. For more on that, check out this post I wrote on reading your Bible.
But see, there’s another thing we have to address if we’re going to find rest for our souls – and it’s easy to glance over it in that Matthew text. The word is “burden.”
We’re all burdened by something most of the time. Family stuff, work stuff, friend stuff, etc. Some burdens are larger than others, but guess what? Jesus wants your burdens. In the previous passage, Jesus doesn’t ask – he tells us to bring our burdens to Him. And if we do, He will give us rest. For more about this, check out this bit of Psalm 55:
Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken. – Psalm 55:22 (NASB)
So now, let’s get some rest. Jesus wants your burdens. You don’t want your burdens. Cast them on Him today. Right now. Stop what you’re doing (reading this, I’d assume) and cast your burdens on the Lord. You’ll never get rest for your soul unless you seek Jesus for it. Pray along with me here.
God bless you.
