Something I hear in passing a lot is I feel like we are just holding it together by a thread… or we just have to get through this and then… or some variation of the above. When I hear that, I’m the first to relate. It’s something that I have thought one too many times myself. I struggle with living under the allusion that I have control. I think, If I can just get this one thing to fall into place, I’m set. I just need too…. But then, I hit circumstances that I can’t make fall into place no matter how hard I try. This last week, my dad has had several eye surgeries after loosing sight in his left eye. Truth, I can’t make my dad see. When my dad looses his sight, when a student hurts themself, when any number of things happen, my bubble breaks and I have to face the fact that I don’t have control. Even if this sounds like a cliché to us, theTruth is only God has control. Honestly, sometimes this fact frustrates me, but it is also the comforting core of our faith. The God of the universe has control, and he loves us and takes a personal interest in our lives.
I was looking at Matthew 11 and came across 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.”
When the burden is heavy, he wants us to go to him. When we are tired and barely holding it together, he wants us to go to him. When we are just trying to make it through ________, he just want us to go to him. He is gentle, He is humble, He will give us rest, and He will teach us.
When I look at this verse, it relates to my personal life, I think ok Jesus I will go to you, you can have control over my family, my job, and _______(any number of things). All too often, it also relates to ministry. We worry that we don’t know what we are doing. We worry that we aren’t reaching people. We serve and give, and burn out. We jugle a thousand balls in the air and wonder why we are tired. The answer isn’t try harder. The answer isn’t be more organized. The answer isn’t be more outgoing. The answer isn’t make more phone calls. The answer isn’t do better. The answer is Jesus.
The answe is stop, and go to Jesus. His yoke is easy, his burden is light.
He has control.
It’s the simple solution that I like to avoid: Go to Jesus.
I understand what you are saying. Well written. So sorry about your Dad. I had not heard about his problem. Praying for him.
Um, this is amazing. Really really good word. There are so many times that I get caught up in striving. I’m always striving to do better, to make things happen, to get closer to God. You are so right….the answer is Jesus.
LOVE IT!!!
Thank you so much for posting this! I needed this reminder, especially during finals week. I’ll call you sometime next week so we can catch up!