What To Do When We Are Weary

Mt. 11:25-30

Life in every generation has always been arduous - Jesus recognized this reality in the people of His day. Life was not easy for Him either, but He had learnt how to handle it, and was eager to share His secret with those around Him. "Come to Me all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder My yoke and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will rest for your souls.”

Some might say how could a person who lived in the first century possibly help us with our twenty-first century burdens? If we listen carefully to Jesus we will find that what He has to say is still as relevant in our day as it was in His. He said, “Do not fret about tomorrow. Let tomorrow take care of itself. Today has troubles enough of its own." (Mt. 6:34). Jesus knew exactly what He was talking about.

As God He was aware of the terrible sufferings He would endure at His Passion. Apart from the few times He mentioned it to His Apostles He would not let it hinder His joy. He lived as though He were quite oblivious of tomorrow. By telling them to concentrate on today’s burdens, and not add tomorrow’s to them, He is counselling His disciples to divide life's burdens into manageable portions. Do not try to carry the entire load all at once. Even the heaviest of burdens can be carried if they are divided into smaller portions.

If we are sensible we will practice this principle in the everyday affairs of life. Jesus is saying deal with today's troubles today. We can all do that. Leave tomorrow’s burdens alone. How many of us are strong enough to carry tomorrow’s burdens with today’s. That is the first thing we must learn from Him.

A second thing we can learn from Jesus is to share the load with Him. He said, "Shoulder My yoke." That seems a strange thing to say to someone who is already wearisome and overburdened. Would it not have made more sense to say, 'Let Me carry your burden? My shoulders are bigger than yours?' But instead Jesus says, “Shoulder My yoke.” What can He possibly mean? A yoke was an instrument that enabled two oxen to work together in pulling the same plough.

That is a good image of how to bear life's burdens. God never intended people to go it alone. We all need someone with whom to talk, with whom to share the secret anxieties that weigh upon our minds and hearts. That someone may be a wise and trusted friend, a counsellor, or a priest. Everyone needs some other person who is an able and willing listener. One of the most foolish things we can do is persuade ourselves that somehow it is noble for us to bear our burdens alone.

Life is meant to be shared, not only with people, but most certainly with God. Is this not one of the reasons why we pray? It is allowing us to admit to God our weakness and asking Him to give us the strength to carry our burdens. If He cannot help us – then no-one can! Besides He is our most willing Helper. There are times when He will not remove the burden from our shoulder, but He will give us all the help we will need to shoulder it with Him. This is how He treated all the martyrs of our faith. On their own they knew they would never have been strong enough to face their cruel martyrdom. They let Jesus share the burden with them. This is what He meant when He says, “Shoulder My yoke.”

Lord Jesus, there are no more consoling words for those who are finding life weary and burdensome, than Yours. "Come to Me all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder My yoke and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will rest for your souls.”