Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Overwhelmed! It’s a sentiment I’ve been hearing a lot of lately. It seems being overwhelmed has become a staple of our culture. I’m sure you’ve seen the pictures of thousands of migrants approaching the southern border of the United States in hopes of entering the country. If I were a border agent, I’d feel pretty overwhelmed right now.
But it’s not a lot different from us trying to manage a caravan of responsibilities demanding our immediate attention. A friend recently said in a two-week period her family faced an $1100 car repair, an unexpected $250 eye doctor bill for their daughter, and reoccurring nightmares from their youngest son resulting in substantial sleep loss for everyone. Add to that a whole weekend of migraines. My goodness, just thinking about her circumstance can make me feel overwhelmed!
How do we deal with this mental overload?
It’s hard. When our duties at home, school or work are all screaming, “Pick me,” and our relationships are crying out not to be neglected—weariness sets in. Our sense of security and safety crumbles when an ongoing flood of worries and dare I say guilt for not “doing enough” breaches the borders of our mind. What’s a person to do?
Remember we have a place of refuge.
Jesus called all of us weary and burdened ones to come to him. And he knew a few things about carrying the weights of the world. He promised if we bring our onslaught of troubles to him, he would help us carry the load. He would lead us to the same place of refuge that sustained him. Jesus committed everything to his Father (v. 27). He never let the demands of the world define his responsibilities so world-induced pressures could never wear him down. He found peace and rest in knowing he was doing just what the Father called him to do…. nothing more; nothing less. He wants us to do the same.
So the next time you feel overwhelmed, don’t be deceived. Your circumstances cannot possibly overwhelm the One who wants to walk with you. Jesus meant it when he said, “Come to me.” Take him at his word. Lay your burdens on his shoulders and find that sweet place of refuge.