Tired
I am tired. The last year has been heavy and hard. Everything I thought I knew was turned upon my head. The seasons of my life rushed through their phases so quickly I thought I was in the midst of a hurricane. Never has one year brought so many highs and lows with it. Still, God is good, and I know I am resting in the palm of His hand.
Our reading today shares three life-changing truths. The first comes in verse 25: “You have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children.” I feel like I live out this verse every day. As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be smart but couldn’t get past the fact that I am an airhead. Some aspects of learning come very easy for me while others elude me altogether. No matter how ‘book smart’ I became, I was still naïve, gullible to a fault. Jesus’ words in today’s reading calm my worries about not being enough. Perhaps, if I had understood the great mysteries of the world, I would not have run to the arms of the Creator for answers. If I had been wise in my own eyes, I would not have cried out to the Holy Spirit for understanding. I would have believed my own misconceptions and missed the truth. Finally, I can thank the Lord for my simpleness. I can smile at the times when I simply struggle with comprehending because I see how they draw me even closer to my God.
Next, I can rest in Jesus because of verse 27. It says, “All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.” So many people have tried to make Jesus a supporting character in the story of this universe. His role has been downgraded and even erased from too many people’s thoughts. Still, my God knows him completely. Because of him, I can know my God and Heavenly Father. This verse takes the pressure off my shoulders. Though I am tired, this verse invites me to rest in Jesus. Jesus chose me. He is the one who invited me to the Father. Before I could do anything right or wrong, Jesus knew he would beckon me to salvation. What a message of rest. No matter what I go through, God has the story already written down. He sees the end of the chapter. He knows the plot twist waiting just around the corner. To Him, the events of this last year are nothing more than set-ups for His grand story. He positions our lives into place so that His story can unfold. That brings me peace. That comforts me when I try to swim against the current or hold on during the onslaught of the storm. I am not in control, and I don’t have to be. I don’t have to understand. I have only to trust. I don’t have to discover all the answers or the reasons. My job is to walk in faith, knowing every twist and turn of life plays a part I might not yet understand. All things rest comfortably in the hands of Jesus. He is not tired. He is not confused. He is not afraid. Though I am often all these things. I am not the one in charge. My fears, confusion, and worries can be easily resolved when I remember that I don’t have to have the answers. My job is to simply trust the One who does.
Finally, we come to the promise of rest. Verse 28, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” I could never have survived the trials of this past year if it were not for my God. I could never have understood it or controlled it. My mind would have melted under the weight and strain of it all. Though I constantly try to take control of my life from His hands, this verse reminds me to let go. The battle is not mine to win or lose. When my children were all little, life often overwhelmed them. They grew tired and overstimulated. Those were the times when nothing could soothe them except my arms. Just this morning, my youngest found herself trapped in a bad dream. Without waking her, I wrapped my arms around her tiny frame and kissed her head. Slowly, her body relaxed. Her tears dissolved. Her breathing steadied and fell into the peaceful rhythm of comforting sleep. This is the image I have of running to my God. The rest of our Lord is not troubled or frightful. When we are tucked into His arms, nothing else matters. No fears can taunt. Worries all dissolve. We are safe in our Father’s arms.
Are you tired? Has this chapter of your life been too much? Let it go. Drop it all, all the cares, all the obligations, all the fears, and the disappointments. Run into the arms of God and breath in His peace. We don’t have to understand. We don’t have to make the plans. We don’t have to carry the world upon our shoulders. We have only to come.
(Written by Keegan Harkins.)
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