Unburdened

I want an unburdened life. Not an ignorant, apathetic, or lazy life. Just the opposite, a life of purpose, intentionality, and perseverance. But there’s a big difference between persevering in freedom and trudging under burden. In the love and liberty of Jesus, there’s a life free from making yourself responsible for the outcome of every situation, or needing to carry people’s negative emotions until you can fix them.

Loving and honoring people doesn’t mean submitting to their bitterness toward life, or bearing the weight of their judgments of others. There is freedom from worrying about what other people think of you. There’s liberty from wearing the judgment, rejection, and condemnation given to you (“in love,” of course) by those who don’t like the way you think. When someone judges you, they need you to agree with them for it to have the impact their bitterness and fear demands. It’s as if they’ve made a coat of shame for you, but need you to choose to put it on. Conversely, God says he has a mantle of praise and joy for you, in exchange for the spirit of darkness and heaviness you’ve been suffering under (Isaiah 61:3).

Breathe. Let the burdens come off. Let them be displaced by God’s presence. Allow him to permanently break off the shame of past failures, those recurring stabs of memory you keep asking forgiveness for. You are free—free to live, and move, and have your identity in God. It’s no longer your job to fix people, nor is it to your burden to be the target of their negativity. It’s your life to receive the love, liberty, hope, joy, peace, kindness, grace and blessing of God, and give it away without expectation.

In Jesus’ time, the word “yoke” was understood as the unique interpretations and teachings of a rabbi, or teacher. His disciples knew this when he said,

“‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carrying 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).

I want an unburdened life. And I want one for you, too.