Rest from Pride

Today’s Verse

“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.’”

Matthew 11:28–29

Stressed out. Overworked. Anxious. Do these words describe you? Do you regularly feel overwhelmed and uncertain of your abilities? In the midst of the turmoil and weariness, Jesus invites you to himself. He invites you to “Come.”

But in coming, you must leave behind your pride and self-reliance. In coming, you must acknowledge your helplessness. In coming, you must be willing to be like him: humble in heart.

So often, anxiety and restlessness stem from a heart desperate to prove our worth—to prove it to ourselves, to others, and yes, even to God. Sometimes this weight feels like a wooden beam, a burden lashed to our shoulders. Sometimes it is literally the weight of the world as we try to establish our significance in and through it.

But Jesus calls us away from self-reliance and pride, away from the lie that tells us that we must and can do it all. He invites us to rest in his power, to rest in his acceptance, to rest in his righteousness.

This is the one command we must obey: “Come.” In coming, we confess that he is the only one who can give us peace. Not our abilities, not our willpower, not our passion. He, and he alone, can provide the rest that our souls long for.

Reflect:
Read Matthew 11:28–29. We often feel burdened because we labor under false expectations or try to pull our load through our own strength. In what areas of your life are you relying on your own ability? Where do you need to relinquish self-reliance?

Pray:
Confess the areas where you have been laboring under false expectations and relying on your own strength. Receive God’s love and acceptance of you and thank him for the rest he offers you.

Hannah Anderson lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. She is the author of Made for More and Humble Roots: How Humility Grounds and Nourishes Your Soul (Moody). You can find more of her writing at sometimesalight.com, hear her on the weekly podcast Persuasion, or follow her on Twitter @sometimesalight.