Experiencing God's Presence #323

Experiencing God's Presence #323

Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

Matthew 11:28

A lot of Christians feel a certain ambivalence toward this verse. That’s because in following Jesus, we take on certain responsibilities toward family, church, work, and friends that, when added together, weigh heavily on us. Being a good, dutiful Christian isn’t easy.

Perhaps in following Jesus we take on more responsibilities than He has actually laid on us. We may assume the Christian life to be something other than it was meant to be. But even if we are laden with heavy loads, Jesus offers a lightness in the way we carry them. As the strength within us, He assumes responsibility for how circumstances turn out when we trust Him with them. When we roll our burdens onto Him, listen for His instructions on our role in addressing them, and do only what He tells us to do, we can be fully confident that He will work them out for His purposes. As our burden-bearer, He is responsible for outcomes.

Jesus spoke specifically to those who were under the heavy burden of performing for God. Right standing before Him isn’t earned. But if we thought this performance mentality was unique to the Pharisee culture of Jesus’ time, it’s simply because we don’t notice how it has seeped into Christian teaching today. We easily slip into approaching the Christian life as principle-based standards of behavior rather than as Presence-based fruitfulness. The result, whether we’re adhering to religious standards or cultural expectations, is a heavy burden.

Refuse to be crushed by the weight of life and even of Christian responsibility. Be responsible without being burdened. Jesus frees you from heavy burdens—if not from the responsibilities themselves, then at least the weight of carrying them in your own strength. When you come to Him—intentionally into His Presence—He lightens your load.

Jesus, life is heavy, but Your burden is light. As I rest in Your Presence, please carry my loads. I’m trusting You with every detail of everything that concerns me.