Rest

Photo Credit: http://images.wisegeek.com/standing-ox.jpg

By: Hickory Smith, Board Member

Yes!! Our 7 month old daughter has turned a corner (we think) and is actually sleeping at night. I am finishing my Master of Divinity this spring and can see the end in sight. I received a promotion through the military and I have some fun training ahead of me this summer. Additionally, I was offered chaplain residency positions at two separate hospitals starting in the fall. Praise the Lord for these incredible opportunities. I am wonderfully blessed.

I have to admit something though…I am tired. Not just lack of sleep tired, I am exhausted. With a myriad of things to do, my mind is always going, I’m always ON. Sometimes it takes all I can muster to accomplish the next thing on my endless list. How good and how long can I fake it? The road has been good but I’m weary nonetheless.

Staying busy and getting a lot done is good, right? In a life where most people have numerous things calling for their time and energy, am I different from anybody else, am I special? Can I complain that I have it any harder than anybody else? Often, I’m the one that gets myself all stressed out and tired anyway. I have a problem with saying “Yes” to too many things, thinking that I can handle more than I really can. Rather than saying “no” or asking for help I just keep plodding away like a beast of burden, even adding things to my load showing my pride in how much I can bear.

God has something to say about this.

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 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. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

I’ve been a Christian for as long as I can remember. I have heard and read these verses from Matthew so many times I can nearly quote them. But, do I truly believe them? Do I do what they say? Do I really cash in on this wonderful promise of Jesus? Unfortunately, NO, I don’t do it often enough.

When I finally do come to Jesus about my weariness and burdens, too often I just keep my own yoke on. In my stubborn-as-an-ox mentality, I don’t trade for Jesus’ yoke or even take the time to learn from Him like he says. Ironically, my own pride gets in the way from really finding rest in the one who is gentle and humble in heart.

It seems antithetical, Jesus, in all his power is the gentle and humble one. He is the one who can handle the greatest load and yet His yoke is easy and his burden is light, so easy and light that he tells us to take it. Maybe I should actually take that yoke and do a little learning from Him. That rest for my soul sounds pretty good.