Are You Making Your Life Harder?

Growing up, my mom and dad were leaders in the church we attended. As a result, my siblings and I spent a lot of time at church. Whether for Wednesday night Bible study, youth meetings, or simply hanging out on Saturday afternoons while my dad and the other men of the church did maintenance on the building, my sisters, my brother, and I were right there. I remember the days I loved most were choir rehearsal nights. I come from a very musical family on my mother’s side, and once a week, my mother and all her sisters would pack us in the car and head to the church, where they joined their voices with the rest of the United Choir of Gospel Evangel Baptist Church, preparing the songs they would sing on Sunday morning. I loved listening to my godfather, Vernon, a classically trained pianist, play as the voices of the choir members flowed through the sanctuary, delivering soul-stirring hymns and uplifting anthems. But out of all the songs they would sing, my favorite was a song led by my mother. To this day, it ministers to me in the most difficult and frustrating times in my life. Each time Vernon would begin to play and my mother would go to the mic, I would get excited when I heard the first phrases of Since I Met Jesus (His Yoke Is Easy).

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily 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.” I don’t know about you, but sometimes I find myself wondering where God is in my situation and why He is not doing anything. As a person with a strong desire for control, when I am trying to figure out how to go about something or make something work, I will research, ask questions, make a list, and write out plans. I will even spend time fasting. But the one thing I forget at times is to wait for the Lord to answer and give me direction. “After all, I researched. All I need Him to do is bless my plan with success and let me go forth. I am an intelligent, educated woman. I’ve got this.” The problem with that is, when I pray and don’t wait for the answer and the Lord’s instruction, I become frustrated, anxious, and overwhelmed because the plan I am working from is my plan—my yoke and burden—and when it is mine, it is very heavy. Too heavy to even move, let alone bear. That is when I find myself crying, “Where are You, Lord?” But then I hear my mother’s voice singing, “His yoke is easy… and burdens are light… And if I walk where He leads me… I will always be right…”

It has never been the Lord’s desire that we live a life of frustration or toil. The problem is, we have a tendency to trust ourselves more than we trust Him, even though we claim we trust Him with our very lives. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.” This Scripture is the direct instruction on how to do what Jesus says in Matthew 11:30 and why we should do it. It is common to first try and use our knowledge and wisdom, especially if we are confident in who God created us to be. However, if we truly trust the Lord and believe that He knows better and has the best plan for us, we will go to Him first. That is the “in all your ways acknowledge Him” part of that Scripture. This level of trust and surrender is how we take on His light yoke and easy burden that Jesus speaks of in Matthew 11:30—instead of struggling on our own.

So, how do we learn to trust the Lord with everything and go to Him first in every situation? We start by acknowledging Him first when we wake in the morning. Before we attend to anything or anyone else, we give Him our time and attention. Sometimes, that may mean getting up a little earlier to acknowledge Him first. However, when we do, it helps keep Him at the forefront of our minds. Another important practice is having an ongoing conversation with the Lord throughout the day. It is easier to remember to let Him guide you when you are talking to Him all day. When you do not communicate with someone regularly, you will not think to consider their opinion. Communication with the Lord throughout the day builds a better relationship and trust, and eventually, you will not feel comfortable making a move or decision without His guidance. As you grow and allow Him to lead you, you will find that Matthew 11:30 and the song I loved so much from my childhood are actually correct. His yoke really is easy, and His burden truly is light.

Don’t take my word for it. “Study to show yourself approved” (2 Timothy 2:15).