Month: June 2023

Yoked with Christ

by Emily Rose MasseyDevotionals / Discipleship

For most of my life, I was what many would call a “control freak.” The burden of trying to control all aspects of my life, including unexpected life events that wrecked my meticulous and detailed plans or even ending my day with an unfinished task list, became too overwhelming for me that I lived in a constant state of worry and panic. For me, it was just a matter of time before that lifestyle became such a heavy burden upon my shoulders that I could no longer carry; We are not designed to control everything, friends- that’s God’s job. 

One day, Jesus’ words in Matthew 11 beckoned me to come to Him and give Him all of the heaviness I was trying to carry on my own.

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30, ESV).

I must admit, when I first read His words to “take up [His] yoke” to find rest, I was hesitant. How would taking upon a yoke around my neck bring me rest? I pictured an ox plowing a field with a wooden yoke around its head, and the image didn’t bring about thoughts of peace and rest, but more exhaustion. I saw a yoke as bondage. But that is the beauty of Jesus’ words and the beauty of the Kingdom of God that operates differently than the world’s system. Where I initially saw bondage by surrendering my control, God was revealing to me that His yoke is actually a tool He uses to help us move forward in the destiny that He has for our lives. 

Intersecting Faith and Life: 

When we yoke ourselves together with Jesus, He carries the load upon His shoulders and His peace and rest comes into our lives. His grace carries us while we walk along side of Him, connected to Him, trusting His ways over our own. 

Over time, God has taught me to run to Him first and trust Him with every single detail of my life- true rest is found in Christ. The Word of God is so powerful and the more we study and meditate upon it, our foundation will be strong in Christ, and we will continually know how to look to Him any time stress and anxiety tries to overtake us. Let us always be quick to ask the Lord for His sustaining grace and help in our time of need, looking to Him always because He cares for us. When the cares of this life try to overwhelm you and bring stress and anxiety, instead of taking matters into your own hands, we must remember to come to Him every day for rest and peace. Thankfully, His peace surpasses all understanding and is unlike anything else this world can offer us. 

Further Reading:

Proverbs 3:5-6

Psalm 121:1-2

John 15

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Comfort Found in Christ

by Emily Rose MasseyDevotionals

Suffering is a reality for everyone on this earth, including believers. To deny that, is to deny reality of the fact that we live in a fallen world and Christians are not exempt from the results of it. Remember, the Apostles suffered greatly and many of them died horrendous deaths as martyrs. But it was all for God’s glory and a part of His sovereign plan for their lives.

We must remember that Christ is with us in the mist of our trial to bring us through it with perseverance. Not all people have this access to Christ’s comforts, only those who have repented of their sins and trusted in Christ’s righteousness alone (Ephesians 1:6). When our heart is agitated, this is the “pillow treatment” in which we can rest our heart and receive God’s overwhelming love (Psalm 34:8). In addition to having the nearness of Christ when we are suffering, as believers, we have also been given the gift of the Church. The Church should be carriers of God’s love- extending counsel, fellowship, humility, and service towards one another. 

The Apostle Paul encourages the Philippian church to be in unity and of one mind, sharing the love of Christ, which brings comfort. This is a wonderful reminder to us today as well:

“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind” (Philippians 2:1-2, ESV).

The graces found in Christ fuels our humility that generates unity.

Intersecting Faith and Life:

God will use all things to conform us to the image of Christ and often in the life of the believer that includes pain and suffering, but we do not have to suffer alone. We can find comfort in the riches of Christ, and He often uses the family of God to bring His love and peace into our situations. Have trials in your life embittered you and caused you build up walls around your heart to keep you from being vulnerable and transparent with God and with others? We need to be honest about our insecurities and pain so that we can receive Christ’s comfort and encouragement. Through this vulnerability with others, God gives us wisdom to show us who to specifically speak to about our hurts, frustrations, confusion, and deep sorrow. Let us tear down the walls of privacy and pride to receive the Lord’s tender mercies and rich grace. Who do you need to share God’s affection and sympathy with? The greatest way to do this is sharing the truth that Christ died so that others may live- the Gospel. We must remind our hearts and share with others that our faith in Him means that because of the cross, we are forgiven and now we can have the hope that He never leaves our side and walks with us through the valley and the mountain top experiences, and we have the ultimate hope that there is a glorious eternal life that awaits us in Christ Jesus. Oh, what comfort we can find in Christ!

Further Reading:

2 Corinthians 5:14-15

Hebrews 10:24-25

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