Have you found it hard to make forward progress in your life?
For some reason your next goal seems to be taking longer to achieve or out of reach. There is a way to make it through those seasons when the going has been tough.
The other day I was on a bike ride in the country. There was a twenty-plus mile per hour headwind blowing against me. I felt like I was pedaling as hard as I could and yet barely moving.
I began to think of my friend, Mark. He is an avid cyclist and he is faster than me. We have cycled together on a few adventures in recent years. When we have faced long hill climbs or strong winds together, he would take off and leave me in the dust, unless I stayed close to him. If I could keep my front wheel within one foot of his rear wheel, then I could draft behind him.
It requires 30% less effort by me to ride in the slipstream of my friend than it does for me to face the winds or the hills on my own power. The benefit only exists when I stay close to him.
Staying on the rear wheel of my friend, Mark, reminds me of the importance of walking more closely to Jesus Christ. Jesus promised that our burdens will be easier in this life as we share our burdens with Him. He said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Are you weary? Are you burdened? Are you traveling your spiritual journey close to Jesus?
He said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
Are you weary? Are you burdened? Are you traveling your spiritual journey close to Jesus?
Don’t misunderstand, Jesus is not going to carry us the rest of our life or take 100% of the burden off of us. But He is reminding us that He has a better plan in mind so we don’t have to carry 100% of our burdens on our own.
Jesus tells us, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me… and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29).
Jesus is speaking of a yoke where a team of oxen could pull a load together. The yoke Jesus is referencing is one where a mature, strong ox is sharing a yoke with a younger, weaker one. In the picture, Jesus is the strong one who is training and helping us. We are the weak one in the yoke. There are still burdens we will be carrying but, they will just be much easier, even restful.
How are you doing as you face your burdens, headwinds, and mountains? If it seems you are barely making ground or completely exhausted and can’t go any further, then stay closer to Jesus for the rest of the journey. Once you take on His yoke you will find things much easier.
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