Mike Walsh

In the Christian life it can be very easy for us to feel a pressure that God never intended for us to feel. Many times it can be so easy for us to compare our lives and what we’re doing to other people’s lives and what they are doing. 

God never intended for us to imitate or emulate other people’s Christian walk to be just like them in every way. God has specific things for all of our lives that he has called us to do. Sometimes as we’re living out the things that God has called us to do we can look at others and how they do things and compare ourselves and we can feel like what we’re doing is less. We can be our own worst critic. Jesus said, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

He was using the yoke as an example. The yoke was put on a work animal to lighten their load and make their work much easier by padding them from the heavy load they were carrying or pulling.

Jesus gave us this example to help us see that his calling on your life is only for your life.

The yoke was fit individually for each animal to make their work more efficient and easier to bear. God never intended this Christian life to be a load that we couldn’t bear or that was too hard for us to carry. That was never intended to be the case.

In John chapter John 21, after the risen Jesus had restored Peter to his place of right standing with Jesus, Peter stuck his foot in his mouth again by saying this to Jesus:

In John 21:20-22 20, Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?” When Peter saw Jesus, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.”

Jesus made it clear to Peter and to us that he wants us to walk with him in our individuality with purpose and passion. It helps us to see that Jesus never expects us to be someone that we’re not. God wants us to walk in the gifts, calling and personality that God gave to us. We don’t ever have to try to be someone that we’re not or do things that we have no ability to do. God always wants us to be growing and willing to change in our walk with him. I want to encourage you to enjoy living for Jesus, it was never meant to be a burden that we couldn’t carry, instead it was meant to be a yoke that fits you.

(Mike Walsh is the pastor at Glad Tidings Assembly of God.)