God’s Peace for the Weary and Burdened
A few years ago I found myself immersed in hustle culture. It was my first job out of college and there was work to be done; I was energetic and driven. A perfect match. So I bought the “boss babe” planners, organized the cutest office space, and read all the books on productivity and leadership—that is, when I had the time.
As time went on, the work grew more demanding and as much as I tried to keep up with the daily grind, I felt like I was working around the clock. Though I was driven and loved goals, I felt like I was caving under pressure. Later on, someone asked me about my long-term career goals. I remember saying, “I don’t want to run the rat race”. Hustle culture wasn’t bringing me fulfillment, even if it did earn me a few extra dollars and accolades.
Fast forward a few years: things have changed. Now that I’m a stay at home mom, my days still are tiring; I’m trying to keep the baby on her schedule, clean the house, make dinner, go to appointments, meal plan, and serve in my church. Sometimes, it feels like I’m juggling the same workload as when I was working full time.
Other moms seem to agree; I see social media posts of women griping over their husbands and disobedient kids; joking about wine as the only way to unwind after the stress of being a mom; and even being made to feel bad about giving up a “career” to be a mom. The Complaining Mom Culture doesn’t seem to bring the rest I crave; I find no fulfillment in venting or giving up responsibilities. Only God will be able to bring us the true rest and peace that we so desperately crave—regardless of our circumstances.
Only God will be able to bring us the true rest and peace that we so desperately crave—regardless of our circumstances.
Matthew 11:28-30 says, “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.”
Weary? Burdened? Why, that sounds a lot like me—back when I was working full time, and now as a stay at home mom. God offers his children rest. He doesn’t provide heavy pressure or demands; He instead provides a yoke that is “easy” and a burden that is “light”. The yoke was a tool that allowed two working oxen to pull weight together, and the yoke allowed the weight to be evenly dispersed, giving the beasts a lighter burden. This interesting imagery reminds us that we are not alone as we work through life, because God invites us to join him in His yoke. We don’t carry the heavy burdens of life alone; God sustains us (Psalm 55:22). In fact, with God beside us, the heavy burdens are light and easy!
Jesus said in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Jesus readily offers peace to the believer. A clear distinction is made between the peace God gives and what the world can offer. When we chase after the things the world calls peace, we will be ultimately unfulfilled and left wanting. What if we could find peace in the middle of our stressful job, while struggling to get that higher education degree, or while washing dishes and changing diapers? We can.
When we chase after the things the world calls peace, we will be ultimately unfulfilled and left wanting.
I’m not saying that you should quit your corporate job, give up on your goals, or to never take a break from housework. But we will never find fulfillment in those things; and if we put all our energy and effort into attaining them, we will ultimately be disappointed.
It won’t always be easy. At times, I wished I could quit my former job, but bills and student debt made that an unwise decision. Presently, I’m in the middle of a two-week stretch of sickness in our household and weary of paying twice what I normally pay at the grocery store due to inflation. You may be in a similar situation, or maybe you’re caregiving for an aging relative, a stressed-out student trying to survive finals, an overwhelmed ministry leader ready to give up, or working minimum wage at your local store trying to get out of debt.
Regardless of our circumstances, as believers we have the free offering of God’s yoke to help us bear our burdens, and his peace in every situation. Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” With a thankful heart, using the tool of prayer, we offer our burdens and anxieties to the only one who can offer true peace. This exchange results in security; a steady heart in Christ who is unmoved within the midst of life’s trials.
We do have peace available to us—and it’s not something we need to work towards or earn, it’s available right now, in the midst of our lives, stresses, and burdens.
And that’s a much better offer than the corporate ladder, complaining mom culture, or self care that the world offers. Don’t you think?
