Losing Weight

Matthew 11:28

“Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.”

Have you been experiencing fatigue from life’s pressures lately? Have challenges discouraged you or weighed you down to the point that you have very little energy to function normally? 

Well, whether the heaviness has come from situations regarding employment, family, friends, ministry, or physical ailments, Jesus wants us all to know that we don’t have to carry these things as heavy weights throughout our lives.

These weights are known as burdens, which basically are heavy loads. Heavy loads exhaust our stamina and make us weary. Merriam-Webster defines weary as being extremely tired or lacking energy and enthusiasm, usually as a result of physical exertion, mental strain, or prolonged exposure to a situation. What we need is the Lord’s perspective on all of these things we carry.

Jesus doesn’t expect us to heap these burdens onto ourselves that cause such weariness, but to come to Him so that He can give us rest. Remember, He is God, and we are not.

Moreover, He tells us in Matthew 11:29-30 to take His yoke upon us and learn from Him as He is gentle and humble in heart, and as a result, we find rest for our souls. His yoke is simply submission to His will for our lives, which we learn through hearing and reading His word and doing what it says.

Thankfully, Jesus is kind, compassionate, and patient. It isn’t heavily burdensome to be discipled or covered by Him. His commandments aren’t grievous or impossible. He doesn’t create a taxing or abusive environment wherever life takes us. He has made us victorious, overcomers in difficulty or trials!

With each circumstance we learn, and we grow as His plans for our good are eventually brought to fruition. It is the enemy of our faith who will tempt us to believe we should carry things that God has not given us to carry. Yet God wants us to walk freely by the Spirit, which is life for us.

So remember, “Cast your cares on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken” (Psalm 55:22). Release your struggles to Him, trusting He’ll give you the strength to endure. God promises His support as we do. So we don’t have to fear facing life’s challenges alone. God supplies wisdom to us generously. He just wants us to ask.