Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
The Lord said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).
Jesus has called us to live like He did, which is to say, He tells us that our lives should be spent in service to our God. In fact, in the quote above, Jesus says that replacing our burdens with His is the way to our best life, a restful life. But sadly, most of us are more interested in serving our own desires and wants, and we make decisions that reflect those values.
Living for self leads to all kinds of decisions that are harmful to us as image bearers of God. As the wreckage from those decisions pile up, our burden gets heavier, and we often look in the wrong place for relief from the pain. Many people turn to alcohol as a way to escape their unhappiness. Others try drugs or sex. Some seek fulfillment in other, seemingly innocent, pursuits, such as video games or social media.
Not only will none of those fulfill you, they will actually add weight to what you’re carrying.
What burden are you bearing? What decisions have you made, the consequences of which add stress and unhappiness to your life? You don’t have to suffer through this life. There is a better way.