Daily Devotionals

December 31st, 2023

Read: 

Matthew 11:28-30 NIV  

“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. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

As I write this, we are right in the throes of the busiest part of December…the two weeks before Christmas! So far December has been filled with Christmas concerts, events, and holiday gatherings, sprinkled with a little bit of Christmas shopping. To top it all off, it has been an unprecedented season of change and uncertainty for our family. To say I am a bit “weary” is an understatement.  My heart and my brain have been on overload for too long and my body is beginning to show the effects of it. 

The truth is that Christmas magnifies the fact that, if we aren’t careful for most of the year…we can feel a little weary. We keep chugging along from one thing to the next, willing ourselves to move forward – even if it is just an inch. We pick up and strap on worry, responsibilities, and expectations like gear for a mountain expedition. Never stopping to take into account that the weight of it all is just too heavy for the long journey ahead. And it’s exhausting. 

But today I am reminded of this promise from Jesus …that if I come to him, I will find rest for my weary and burdened heart. He offers deep soul care to those struggling under the weight of the journey by offering to go the distance with us and help shoulder the load with gentleness and grace. It’s His extravagant love for us that does that.  He desires to see us thrive and not just survive. His plan for me..and for you..has never been for us to carry it all alone, but for him to do the heavy lifting for us, side by side as we trust him and walk with him in this journey.