I get it. You're tired. We're all tired. Here is a list of things that make us tired; some of these are mine, and some are yours.
My health issues. Others' health issues. Election season. Traffic. Deadlines. Carpool arrangements. The old boss. The new boss. The kids' homework. My homework. Election drama. Teen drama. Work drama. Extended family drama. The news media. Entertainment media. Ads on media, in fact, personalized ad tracking that finds me wherever I go. Peer pressure. Fentanyl. Gossip. Growing pains. Growing old pains. Election news. Putin. Innocents caught up in war, and it feels like there's nothing we can do to help. Homelessness and poverty and hunger, and it feels like there's nothing we can do to help. Credit card debt. Bills. Unwanted phone callers. Vacations that lose their benefit because there's so much work to be done before and after. Not being able to take a vacation. Election ads. Disrupted sleep. Doom scrolling. Searching for stimulation and coming up bored. Dirty dishes. Dirty house. Dirty faces. Dirty diapers. Weeds that never quit, especially spurge.
OK, that last one is my personal nemesis.
Now that we're even more stressed, let's take a deep breath and read a popular piece of scripture. It's not wonder why Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV) is popular:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, 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.”
Jesus reaches out to our weariness and promises soul rest. He doesn't promise that life will change or get easier or that the aforementioned problems will melt away. Jesus simply promises a better way.
Jesus was speaking into a culture in which you had to follow all kinds of rules to be a good person. If you violated even one, you were in trouble. People were weighed down by these rules as they went about their lives, weary like we are.
Jesus assures us that his way is easier. Oh, if we follow Jesus's commands to love our neighbors, we're surely going to live messy, inconvenient lives. But they will be joyful, messy, inconvenient lives. We will find rest for our souls even as our bodies keep moving.
Tired? Escape to the rest of our Savior.
Twice a month, I offer a new Practical Faith Academy podcast. I bring in other voices to share how they live a seven-day practical faith. There are stacks of good podcasts - more than 40 - that you can listen to. Enhance your daily faith walk by listening to the Practical Faith Academy podcast on major podcast platforms and on Podbean. The podcast can also be found by visiting CecilTaylorMinistries.com and clicking on the Practical Faith Academy podcast button.
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