Are you carrying a heavy weight on your shoulders?
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
Each day. we all carry heady burdens on us. We are consumed with worries. We plan our lives, react to situations, and no matter how much we do it never seems to end. One task leads to the next one and then 10 more. No matter how much we finish there is still so much to complete, like being in a race that can't end.
More so the daily routines of our lives burden us down and rob us of Joy, leading to depression and misery. We do, only to do again, then repeat and do more. The weight of life keeps getting heavier. The more loads we try to "lift" the more overwhelmed we feel.
THIS IS NOT WHAT GOD INTENED.
In the book of Psalms it says
"Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death."
We learn two things here:
1- The burdens we carry are NOT ours to bear, and we can be free of them living a life of joy and peace
2- Each day God desires to take away our burdens, and it is God himself who intervenes for us IF we allow him
Jesus when he first spoke publicly read this prophecy Isiah had spoken of the coming Savior
The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Jesus boldly proclaimed after this "today this prophecy is fulfilled" To the crowd's shock Jesus was claiming to be this person. The Old Testament is clear that ONLY God is savior, and He will save his people. By Jesus proclamation he was announcing his mission and claiming to do what ONLY GOD could do.
Jesus first words were "The Kingdom of God is here" Jesus is announcing the He is God come to save His people. His call is for us to "Repent" which means, to change our minds about things and go in a new direction. Jesus calls us to give up trying to carry the weights of this life that hold us down and overwhelm us and trust him with these loads. We must give up trying to do, trying to rise above things, and trust in Him.
As if this was not enough, later in his ministry Jesus clearly confirms this saying:
"I have come so that you will have life and have it more abundantly" -John 10:10
So just what does this mean?
"Abundant life" refers to life in its abounding fullness of joy and strength for spirit, soul and body. "Abundant life" signifies a contrast to feelings of lack, emptiness, and dissatisfaction, and such feelings may motivate a person to seek for the meaning of life and a change in their life.