Called or Driven? — A LifeWords Devotion

Then 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. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (NLT)

The words “easy” and “light” are not the first to spring to mind when we think of following Jesus. Elsewhere he promises his people hardship and suffering. So what is he saying?

Perhaps he is urging us to avoid certain approaches to faith which become burdensome. If faith becomes primarily a matter of keeping detailed rules, it can be a burden. Jesus was speaking to those who were confronted with the legalism of the Pharisees and scribes.

If faith is all about my trying to save the world or fix every problem, it is a heavy load to bear. If faith is all about my trying to impress an ultimately unsatisfied God, then I will be crushed. If I seek to do things independently of God’s Spirit, I am inviting heaviness.

We have to distinguish between being driven and being called. Driven people stress measurable accomplishment and results and so are constantly busy and get angry and frustrated often. They can neglect people who don’t seem to matter or simply use them as necessary.

Called people are those who gladly follow the leading of Jesus. It may be hard, we may have setbacks, but with Jesus’ help we can bear the weight. Called people do what Jesus wants them to do, not what everyone else or their own perfectionism drives them to do. They still have a yoke and a burden, but it is bearable because Jesus puts them there.

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Blessings

David