In His presence, Jesus offers release and refreshing to those who are tired and overburdened. When life becomes a struggle and dreaded, Jesus invites us to come into His presence and receive rest and refreshing.
When weighed down from care and responsibility, Jesus offers to give us a new life. He said, “Take the burden of responsibility I give you and thereby discover your life and your destiny” (Matthew 11:29 BCJ).
When we accept this offer, Jesus releases us from the burdens that have weighed us down. It is difficult to hear the will of God when we are burdened and overwhelmed with cares. It’s difficult to hear anything in that situation!
God is not the One Who puts pressure on us. His yoke is easy and light. He is gentle and humble; not demanding or insistent. When we sense that tired, heavy-laden feeling beginning to weigh us down, we must reevaluate what we’re doing.
We are often overburdened by things that God has not told us to do. Sometimes others impose responsibilities on us, other times it’s our own false sense of responsibility that pressures us. You may possess the same false sense of responsibility that I once had that drove me to take on more than one person could possibly do. If so, accept the Lord’s invitation to be released from false responsibility. He never uses guilt, condemnation, or pressure to motivate us.
Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin” (NAS). Our High Priest understands our weaknesses. The Amplified Bible says “For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses.”
Remember, He is willing to relate to us and permit us to learn at our own rate. God relates to us as individuals. He never compares our growth with Him to the progress of others—only people do that. His willingness to relate to us brings liberty and removes all competition.
In Second Corinthians 10:12 Paul warns us of the foolishness of comparing ourselves with one another. He said, “Of course we would not dare classify ourselves or compare ourselves with those who rate themselves so highly. How stupid they are! They make up their own standards to measure themselves by, and they judge themselves by their own standards!” (TEV).
The truth is, we all have strengths and weaknesses, yet we all have a portion to supply. There is no competition with the Lord. He permits us to learn at our own rate, and allows others the same privilege. There is no pressure to be or do something to win God’s approval. His way is easy and light. The Lord never puts pressure on us to perform! Without the added stress of performance we’re able to discover the destiny for our lives.
Jesus makes one simple request: “Come to Me!” When we come tired and burdened, He will relieve and refresh us. When we come heavy-laden and weary, He gives us rest. He gives us ease and blessed quiet.
