Peace, joy, fulfillment, “life in all its fullness.” It’s what all of us seek and what Jesus promised in John 10:10. Yet so few seem to obtain that rich full life he promised. The pressures, problems, and struggles of this world beat so many down, life is nothing but drudgery, simply being lived in survival mode. Does this mean Jesus’ promise is empty?
Of course not, but for many, the rush of life has simply pushed them past the door God has opened, the door to their destiny and all the blessings that come from knowing they are exactly who God created them to be. For others, the search for life’s blessing and meaning seems to have taken them to a different end than what the beginning promised.
Jesus gave us the promise of rest and the key to finding peace. In Matthew 11:28-29, Jesus said, “‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, 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, for My yoke is easy and My burden is light.'” These verses hold many deep truths, but I am going to highlight two of them.
First, Jesus says, “Come to me.” When you have burdens, difficulties and struggles, where do you turn? Do you try to solve your problems on your own? The Bible calls that “leaning on your own understanding.”
Do you seek advice from others? Do you turn to books? Or do you stop and pray? Does God’s word frame the perspective from which you see your situation? Is Jesus really where you go? Stop and think about that three-word phrase “come to me.” How often do you really do that?