Step by Step

Have you been in a situation lately where you seem to be getting nowhere and making no progress, despite your very best efforts? This comes up all the time in parenting, or in any situation in which you are caring for others. Many times circumstances are beyond our control. Sometimes we are dealing with failed expectations we built for ourselves or for others. Other times it is the frustration of waiting for circumstances or people to change. In those cases of day in and day out caregiving and prayer, we can grow weary and begin to feel very burdened. 

“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.””

Matthew 11:28-30 NLT

Jesus offers us a solution. More specifically, in Matthew 11:28 Jesus issues us an invitation—He offers a way out of our weariness. Jesus says, “come to me.” Practically, in the middle of a mess where we are struggling against despair, what does it look like to go to Jesus? 

Going to Jesus means deciding to go to Him first for our needs and trusting that He will meet our needs. It means surrendering the notion that we alone have the ability to take care of ourselves and others, to get it all done, and to control outcomes. It means turning to Jesus in dependence and with the recognition we need more. It’s admitting that weariness is not an acceptable way of life and that heavy burdens were never meant to be borne alone. 

Jesus calls us to come to Him because He knows in this world we will carry heavy burdens and we will grow weary. And He knows it is only by coming to Him that we will find relief and rest. He also says He is humble and gentle at heart. Jesus knows who He is in the Father. His teaching will reflect humility and gentleness. Jesus put others first and healed those who asked and He knew how to get at the heart of what people needed. That is what He is offering us. 

Jesus wants to teach us how to carry our burdens: putting on the yoke of Jesus means sharing your burdens with Him. It means deliberately leaving the ultimate responsibility for outcomes in His hands. It means acknowledging that we not only need help, we need a Master. A yoke is a device used by farmers to join two animals together so that they work in unity, sharing the load. He is calling us to give up our purposes and plans and live unified under His purposes and plans not only for us, but for those in our care as well. Jesus is saying that when we join up with Him in this way and walk with Him under the same yoke, our share of the burden we will carry is light, so we will be able to rest. He is calling us to join Him in following the Master’s direction. Jesus is in this with us, working alongside us, step by step. And when we step into and under the yoke God is offering when we trust in Jesus, our very souls will find rest. 

Lord, I need Your rest. Show me how to take on Your yoke. What do I need to surrender? Where do I need to trust? How can I get in step with you today? Thank you for shouldering the load with me and for me. Amen. 

“Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you.”

Psalms 9:10 NLT