Jesus has said:
"Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart and you shall find rest for you souls."
Matt. 11: 28,29
Rest. Don't we all long for it? Our days are filled from the moment are feet hit the floor in the morning until we climb wearily into bed at night. We are burdened with so many things. But is it things that weigh us down? Mr. Tozer believes the real burdens are found within the heart.
The first one is pride:
"The labor of self-love is a heavy one indeed. The heart's fierce effort to protect itself from every slight, to shield its touchy honor from the bad opinion of friend and enemy, will never let the mind have rest. Continue this fight through the years and the burden will become intolerable - challenging every word spoken against them, cringing under every criticism, smarting under each fancied slight, tossing sleepless if another is preferred before them."
This one hits home. Pride wears many different masks. This one fits me well. This longing to find approval in the sight of others. This need to find favor and nursing every perceived slight. It is all so exhausting.
Jesus stands quietly offering the gift. He tells me the way to rest is meekness - a humble heart. It is a knowing how weak and full of failure I am and at the same time recognizing my worth in His eyes.
"He knows well that the world will never see him as God sees him, and he has stopped caring. He is willing to wait for the day when everything will get its own price tag and real worth will come into its own."
In the meantime, there is rest. No more striving to be noticed; instead a willingness to leave my honor in His hands.
There are other soul burdens. Their names are Pretense and Artificiality. We'll talk about them tomorrow.
Blessings,
Linda
