His Burden Is Light

“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

As a recovering people pleaser, I sometimes struggle with the guilt of not doing more. I will admit that my priorities sometimes get out of whack because of taking on too many things.

When I was first able to stay-at-home with my three children after the birth of the youngest, I fell into the trap of signing up for things that I thought I should be doing or that I had always wanted to participate in, but couldn’t because I worked.

It didn’t take long to become overwhelmed. I had to be reminded of why I was at home with my children – they were my first ministry.

I remember being asked several years ago about Comfort to Comfort, “What’s your vision for your ministry?”

First of all, I don’t feel like it is “my ministry.”

But secondly, to answer the question, it was simply an avenue to give others hope and encouragement, by sharing my story when given the opportunity, and perhaps even spreading the message of the comfort of Jesus through my blog by living out 2 Corinthians 1:3-4.

Why then, did I feel like I should be doing more? Perhaps I was putting too much dependence on what others believed, or even what I thought they believed.

In my Jesus Calling devotional this morning, Sarah Young writes, “If pleasing people is your goal, you will be enslaved to them.”

Thinking back to several months ago, as I listened to an expert writer/blogger speak at a conference, I learned that if one could not write on one’s blog at least 3-5 times a week, one should not have a blog. My immediate reaction was, “Oh dear, I don’t write that many times a week. I do well to post once a week!”

And I began to feel enslaved to my blog. I felt discouraged even to the point of giving it up. Then I realized that writing 3-5 times a week is not a practical goal for me. But that doesn’t mean that God can’t use my writing.

Yes, we are to serve God, but our load is not meant to be burdensome and heavy.

And our load will not be the same as someone else’s.

Even today, I still struggle with the desire to do more, knowing which things I need to focus on, and which ones to cross off the list.

I have discovered that when I take deep sighs as I rush throughout my day, or stare at my pocket calendar and wonder how I can possibly fit one more thing into that box, that this not how my Jesus wants me to live.

He wants me to do the obvious work He has entrusted me to do, but He does not want me to put unreasonable expectations on myself or feel guilty about not doing enough.

He just wants me.

He wants an intimate relationship with me. He wants me to come to Him and spend some time reading His word, studying His word. He wants me to stop and share my heart with Him through prayer. And He wants to answer me if I will only be still and listen.

That has given me such freedom! Life does not have to be so hard. Sometimes when it is, we only have ourselves to blame.

Let’s not weigh ourselves down with people pleasing, comparing ourselves to others, and guilt from not serving more. For that yoke is not from Him. Let’s keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and rest in Him.

For His burden is light!

I would love your comments. What has God shown you about priorities and becoming overwhelmed?


Christy


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