Rest for the Weary

I was abruptly awoken out of a sleepy slumber by my eldest child. Apparently my youngest child needed me. In a daze, I made my way to her bedroom only to be confronted with the tell-tale scents of sickness.

I went to work quickly stripping the bed and cleaning her up, all while gently speaking words of comfort. And then, for the next 12 hours, I continued to do the same things in a pattern of sorts. Twice more the bed needed to be stripped, she needed to be cleaned, all while gently speaking words of comfort. By the end of the day I became very weary. As I was caring for my physically sick child while trying to keep up with life’s demands, I was feeling overwhelmed and spiritually sick.

We are able to easily identify those who are physically ill. When I went into my child’s room, I instinctively knew what to do simply because I had done it all before. I have been taught by trial and error how to care for myself or another who is physically ill. But what of a person who may be spiritually ill? Would we know what to do to care for ourselves or another who may be struggling with spiritual sickness?

Christ is clear to share with us that we need only to come to Him in order to ease our burden:

Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

We live in a world bombarded with many physical aliments caused by stress, as well as an abundance of emotional ailments such as anxiety, depression, and plain old heartache. But how do we care for our weary souls, or the burdened soul of another? The good news is that through the Holy Spirit we can instinctively know- often learning by trial and error- how to care for all that makes us spiritually ill.

Through the process of transformation by the Holy Spirit, we are stripped, cleaned, and comforted. As a part of the body of Christ, we are to be the hands and feet of Jesus to others. This means we should use our abilities to help ease the burdens of another. We can be a listening ear to someone who needs one, or an open mouth offering words of life and encouragement to someone who needs to hear them. We can use our hands to make light the work that may be overwhelming, and use our feet to literally walk in someone else’s shoes.

When we are able to do these things, we can take the focus off of ourselves and the things that make us weary. When we reach out to others and act as the hands and feet of Jesus- all while coming to Jesus asking Him to ease that which makes us weary– He won’t leave us alone to drown in what makes us spiritually sick. There will be someone who comes alongside us acting as the hands and feet of Jesus, using their abilities to help ease our burdens as well.

Father, help us to see where we can help ease the burdens of others. By pressing into your character, others may see you at work within us, and may your name be glorified by our actions. In Jesus name, Amen.

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