Laura Henry was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies and a Masters of Education in Counseling and Human Development. Laura and her husband, Christian, have been in ministry for 7 years. They both serve at Liberty Live Church in Hampton, VA. Christian is the Young Adult Pastor while Laura works part-time as the Elementary Curriculum Coordinator and serves on the Worship Ministry at Liberty. Laura and Christian have a three-year old daughter and a baby boy.
I’m going to be honest; I didn’t have a blog entry in me this month. I couldn’t find the time to sit down and write anything, nor did I feel that I had anything profitable to share that would be worth reading at all. If I’m being really honest, I didn’t even want to sit down and write.
I’ve been in the trenches. Life is heavy right now. I am burdened, emotional and weary. So weary.
The enemy tried to convince me that writing from a place of heaviness, in a burdened state, would not be useful. For a while, I let him. But then I realized, many readers are reading from a place of burden.
Maybe you’re in a season of heaviness, where it feels like the weight of the world is on your shoulders. Maybe you’re carrying the burdens of other people, your dear friends, your prodigal children, your loved ones who are in desperate need of physical healing. Maybe you feel like you’re in a spiritual desert where everything seems dry and uneventful, and apathy has driven a wedge between you and God. Maybe you are in a season of plenty, but that “plenty” is overwhelming to manage, so much so that you’re losing sight of the blessing of it. Maybe you’re in a season of waiting for God to provide for your need. Maybe you’re walking through a season of loss, and you feel like the world around you has moved on, but you’re stuck, unable to move forward. Maybe you’re angry at God, annoyed at His timing or asking why me?
Regardless of where you are, nothing that I have to say today is an original thought, nor is it complicated. It is, indeed, profound.
“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)
The Lord so sweetly reminded me of this truth, just this morning.
*Insert me looking up what a “yoke” even is, and then crying because the Scripture finally made sense. (This would be a good time to look up what a yoke is, if you don’t already know.)
Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,” not “Come to me once you don’t feel burdened anymore.” We are invited to come to Him while we are still burdened, angry, depressed, sad, annoyed, grieving, confused, doubting, apathetic, desperate, weary…carrying a heavy yoke. If we need rest, peace, answers or clarity, all we have to do is “Come to Him,” bearing all the emotions and feelings with us.
Can I tell you something? God can handle your emotions. He is a big God. He is more than able to handle all that you’re wrestling with. He wants to give you a lighter load to bear; one that is not heavy.
The New International Reader’s Version of this Scripture reads “Serving me is easy, and my load is light.” (Matt. 11:30) How can serving be easy? Because serving God means surrendering all to Him. It’s a trade. A very unfair one. He takes all the hard, we take all the easy.
It’s a profound invitation. Once we surrender all, what else do we have to bear? Nothing except His yoke. And His yoke is light.
