Heavy Burdens

By Keith Bryner

Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, 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 NASB ’95)

This is one of my favorite verses. When I read it, I picture Jesus, with outstretched arms, inviting me to, with burdens in hand, simply come to Him. Why then do I still find it so difficult to give Him my burdens? Why does it feel weird to just lay them at His feet? Maybe its the culture I grew up in, where bearing heavy burdens was seen as a sign of strength and caring for others. For me, the “heaviness” is not so much the result of the weight being carried as much as how it’s carried. When the weight is, “all on me,” it tends to feel heavier. Carrying the responsibility alone seems to add at least a ton to whatever I’m carrying.

We all have burdens to carry in this life, and I have found them heaviest when bored alone. I love the fact that Jesus didn’t say, “Give me your burdens and have a seat over there in the corner. I got this.” He not only offered relief from the burdens — He also offered companionship on the journey. Jesus said, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age,” (Matthew 28:20 NASB ’95). He said this to the disciples after commissioning them to the Great Commission. It was a heavy task — a burden they could not do in their own strength. The Good News was they were not alone, Jesus promised His presence would always be with them.

Today, my prayer is that you would hear Jesus’ invitation to come to Him. Know that as you come to Him, with burdens in hand, He will go with you, and together you will move mountains. You don’t have to do this alone!