Burden Bearing

"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."
Matthew 11:28-30

All of us have burdens. Sometimes they seem so big that we cannot bear them any longer. I am in a place like that right now. Right in the middle of my struggle, the Holy Spirit pointed out this passage to me. I cannot bear this burden alone. I cannot bear it even with the help of others who pray for me and reach out to me. I have to give it to Jesus and take his instead.
    I have not always understood this. Recently, I heard someone speaking about going to a third-world country where they were using oxen to pull heavy wagons. He said that he saw them team a powerful, large oxen with a scrawny, small one. He asked the people why they did this. It seemed to go against everything logical. The team should be equally yoked, right? The answer was simple. They did this so the young ox could learn and follow the stronger, bigger one. Then he would be equipped to team with another ox and carry the weight equally.The young ox had a light burden and an easy yoke.
    Jesus is asking me to give him the burden I am trying to bear myself and allow him to carry the weight of it. I will be yoked with him, but because he carries the burden, my part is easier. My responsibility is to learn to be gentle and humble in heart, as he is. then I can bear a heavier burden. But I must never forget that I am always in the care and tutelage of Jesus himself.
    Sometimes, we need rest. When we are in the constant battle of carrying a heavy burden, we cannot be at peace. When we give it all to Jesus, he will give us the rest we need. This is not simply a physical rest, it is truly rest for our souls. It removes the confusion in our minds, the stress, and the pain of bearing it ourselves. There is also a time for bearing one another's burdens. When someone is carrying a heavy load, it is comforting when other brothers and sisters come alongside and help. Since we are Christ in the world, we can join him in taking the burdens of others and helping to carry them.
    It's not always easy, but today I have decided to give my burden to Christ. I need rest for my soul. Join me. There is plenty of room for all of us to cast our burdens upon him. Together, we will rest as we walk with Jesus.