God’s Rest–Scripture Reflection #008
Matthew 11:28–30 (New Living Translation)
28 Then Jesus said, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 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. 30 For My yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. I often come back to it because it reminds me to lean on God and give Him whatever it is that I am carrying. It allows me to take a breath, clear my mind, and center myself in my Good Father.
It also reminds me to seek the help of others. I have a habit of trying to accomplish everything on my own. I would rather figure things out myself instead of asking others for help- even if it would be considerably quicker to seek help. I think that part of it is that I feel like a burden when I ask others for a favor. The other part is that I struggle to be vulnerable; I feel like I need to solve my own problems, or I might be considered incapable or always needing the help of others.
Today’s scriptures remind me that 1) I am very limited in my capabilities and energy, and 2) it is a good thing to be vulnerable and seek help. God created Eve so that Adam would not be alone and so that he would have a helper in his work. This relationship was meant for his good. In the same way, God encourages us to rely on Him and others. He promises rest for our very souls when we seek His help.
