Do you ever feel burdened by impossible expectations?

I want to be a great mom, raise smart and strong and kind children, love my husband, be an attentive friend, show love to my parents and relatives, achieve great results through my ministry, and be generous to my community. These are good goals, but they can easily turn into unhealthy pressure. Maybe you hear that voice in your head–a parent, a church committee, a donor, or even yourself–saying, “Where’s the return on my investment?”

Jesus has a different perspective. He says, “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.”

Rest? That sounds as amazing as it is impossible. How can we rest from looking after our children? How can we rest from learning a new language and culture? How can we rest from updating our friends and family overseas? How can we rest from being the light of Christ in our communities?

Jesus spoke these words to religious people who were weary and burdened from trying to do enough good things to earn God’s favor. That burden is impossible for us to carry. That’s why we’re exhausted from trying. We don’t have to stop the work Jesus is calling us to. He is inviting us to work in a different way.

When two cattle pull a load, they are attached to each other by a yoke around their shoulders. To be successful, they have to pull equal weight. But Jesus says, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light,” because we don’t have to pull equal weight. When we walk with him, he carries the weight for us.

If you are weary and burdened in your soul from trying to measure up to the world, your own expectations and ambitions, or even your idea of what God wants, Jesus is inviting you to lay those burdens down and walk with Him. And he promises us perfect rest because of his presence alongside us at every step.