What Burdens Do We Carry?
by Sue Sainsbury
Recently, at Ellel Grange, we had communion as a team, and we did it really quietly. Very often, our lives are so full of activity and responsibility and noise that it can be difficult to draw close to Jesus and listen for His whisper, His guidance, His peace. So, unusually, as we gathered to share the Lord’s Supper, we didn’t have worship music, didn’t sing, didn’t break into small groups to pray together. Instead, we sat in silence with the Lord and invited Him to speak.
The Scripture verses we pondered were Matthew 11:28-30: “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.”
I’ve been thinking a lot about ‘yokes’ lately. Very often I can feel weary and burdened and wonder what it looks like to come to Jesus in those times. I want the ‘rest of my soul’ that He promises, but how do I find that? He says that He is gentle and humble in heart and that His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. I want my life to be poured out for Him. I want to serve Him well and with everything I am. So why does life feel the opposite of ‘easy’ and why am I so tired?
As I came to Him with my burdens, in the silence, I heard His whisper, His wisdom, His challenge. What are the things, the people and the responsibilities that I have picked up and that I am now carrying - some very heavily - that are things that the Lord hasn’t actually given me? Where are the places in my life that I’ve taken on the responsibility for a person, or a commitment to do something, which sounded reasonable at the time or (and this is a tricky one) impossible to say “no” to, but that are weighing me down in exhaustion?
It was such a moment of clarity. I made a list. I wrote “lay it all down” on a piece of paper with Matthew 11:28-30 written next to it. And then, in such surrender, I wrote: “lay THEM all down”.
Because it’s in coming to Jesus in trust and in surrendering our own burdens, agendas and priorities that we find life, HIS life. As we take up His yoke, the one shaped uniquely for us, this is where we find His rest.
Jesus invites us to live in His life, His strength: “Take, eat, this is My Body, broken for you; take this cup, drink, this is My Blood, poured out for you. Do this in remembrance of ME.” He’s actually offering us something here, He’s saying ‘take’ this. And how different this is from the many things we grasp, we collect, and then we ‘kill ourselves’ carrying.
Sue Sainsbury and her husband, John, have just begun a big, new adventure as part of the leadership team at Ellel Grange, where they are committed to living lives as disciples of Jesus and helping others on their journey with Him.
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