Article January 27, 2020 Issue

God makes burdens light

Suzanne Connolly

Anyone feeling burdened by too much to do, by limited capacities or time, or by personal responsibility for some good might find healing in these words: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me;… For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30). These words are from Christ Jesus, who accomplished an extraordinary amount in his three years of teaching and healing. How did he do it? What made his burden light? And can we experience the same freedom when tasked with heavy responsibilities?

The best clue to Jesus’ unburdened accomplishments is found in the Gospel of John, where he says, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do; for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.” He further confirmed that statement when he said, “I can of mine own self do nothing” (5:19, 30). What an inspiration and encouragement to his followers—both then and now! This says to me that God’s sons and daughters reflect what God is doing. The success of everything we do depends entirely on our obedience to God.

Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, uncovers the burdening effects of the opposite attitude when she writes, “Mortals are egotists. They believe themselves to be independent workers, personal authors, and even privileged originators of something which Deity would not or could not create” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 263).

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