Come to Me

As a follower of Jesus for nearly 10 years, I still struggle with trying to prove myself to Him. You’d think that after a decade, I’d have mastered following Jesus. But I’m here to encourage you — whether you’ve known Him for one day or 30 years, you’re not alone in the struggle to feel worthy.

So, why do we struggle with this? Personally, as an athlete in a family where wins were celebrated, I longed for the “well done” from my parents, peers and coaches. Many of us — coaches and athletes alike — are familiar with a performance-based approach to life. It’s all we’ve known.

This mindset starts to seep into other areas of our lives. When we face struggles or problems, we try to work harder to fix them. Even as an adult, not much has changed. The world tells us to hurry, strive and push harder. Our culture constantly plays the same tune on repeat: “Do more. Do better. Do it faster.” It’s exhausting.

I often let this mentality bleed into my walk with Jesus. Yet, even after 10 years with Him, His response to my hurriedness is still surprising and beautiful. 

In Matthew 11, Jesus directly counters this common mindset:

“’Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.’” – Matthew 11:28-30

“Come to Me,” He says, “and I will give rest for your souls.” This isn’t the kind of rest you get after a nap or a good night’s sleep. It’s a peace that transcends the chaos around you, a stillness in the midst of the noise.

In a world that tells us to fix things on our own and keep moving, Jesus says, “Stop striving. Rest here.” The imagery in these verses really brings this home.

A yoke was a type of farming equipment used to till the soil before sowing seeds. It would be placed on two oxen, who would work together to pull the tool through the dirt. Often, a farmer would pair a strong ox with a younger, weaker one, allowing the stronger ox to bear most of the weight while the younger one grew stronger with each step.

When Jesus tells us that His yoke is easy and His burden is light He’s revealing something profound. We’re called to walk alongside Him, and He’s the strong One, carrying the weight. This is what makes Christianity unique — no other religion has a Messiah who says, “Let Me carry your burden.”

Most of us are exhausted from striving because we’re carrying a yoke meant for Jesus to bear. With Him, there is rest on the journey — not because life isn’t hard, but because He carries the heavy load. The weight rests on the strongest shoulders in the universe: King Jesus.

Are you tired from striving? Come to Jesus. Are there challenges with your team or staff that feel too heavy to carry? Come to Jesus. Are problems in your home or friendships weighing you down? Come to Jesus.

If you try to carry it all yourself, you’ll only end up more worn out. Jesus, the One who carried the cross we deserved, says, “Let Me take it. Come to Me and I will carry it for you.”

Come to Jesus.