My heart has been heavy recently as I heard news of my friends’ suffering loss of their loved ones and going through a tough loss myself.
In my grieving, I turn to Jesus’ words in Matthew 11: “Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
Jesus doesn’t say, “Dump all your troubles on me and forget about them.” Rather, he invites us to partner with him by putting on his yoke and navigating through loss and suffering with him. He promises to share our burden, walk alongside us, lead us, and teach us.
The bible asserts that Jesus sympathizes with us: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:15-16).
This Jesus invites us to put on his yoke and experience his rest. He doesn’t say the troubles will disappear and that we would be transported to a place where pain is erased from our memories. Instead, he acknowledges how real our struggles are and shows how he has walked those tough roads, too. He helps us navigate through our hurts and sorrows, and he even gives us a community of his followers to bear one another’s burdens.
You don’t have to struggle alone. You can press into God and his people for help, and you will find mercy and grace.
