Dear Readers,

In preparation for our year looking at Jesus’ example in the gospels, from time to time we will “replay” some older devotionals. We pray these get you excited for this new year of study together and for what God is going to do as we continue “Living By His Example.”

 “For, “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:30 ESV

A Call To Trust

Several times in my life I’ve been hit with the burden of finances. Everything will be going along fine until I find myself in a similar situation. All of a sudden the flow of finances would come to a halt.

I know God will take care of me. He always has. His provision for my needs was always amazingly and surprisingly met. I always loved that. I found myself looking forward to how He would provide for the next situation. I was taught to do my best and God would do the rest…and He always came through just at the right time. 

Facing this challenge once again was different for me. I didn’t like it. I grew tired of this road I was on. I found myself getting irritated with God for allowing this to happen again.

I began drifting with my relationship with God. It was a fight in my spirit to keep in His Word. It was a struggle just to keep the tiniest bit of trust in Him. I didn’t like where I was in my relationship with Him. 

I woke up in the night hearing His voice, “My yoke is easy, My burden is light.” I knew this. I knew if I would just let go and trust Him and allow Him to carry my burden of finances that everything would be fine, but for whatever reason, I just wouldn’t grasp it. I was too tired to deal with this again. This was not a good place to be in and I knew it. I didn’t know how to cope with the way I was feeling and responding. I knew I needed God.

I opened my Bible to Hebrews 3:7-9 (ESV): “Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, ‘Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers put Me to the test and saw My works for forty years. (Vs. 12-14) Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today”, that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.'”

God graciously brought me back into His presence. I realized the more we experience God’s power, goodness, and provision in our walk with Him, the greater our sin if we distrust Him. I acknowledged my lack of trust in Him, and He graciously forgave me and put me back on the right path again. This is the beauty of God’s forgiveness and grace.

I read the familiar Scripture passage again. 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” (Matthew 11:28-30 NLT).

“Lord we thank You for understanding our weaknesses. Forgive us for not trusting You in our time of need. Thank You for seeing deep within our hearts that we truly want to follow You and do Your will. We ask that You would continually keep us on the right path. Help us to rest in You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”