Finding Rest

" Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light." --[Matthew 11: 25-30].


My teen son is nearing the end of his years in high school. I notice that when he approaches his school work, some of the work-- such as Math and History -- seems like so much drudgery. In other subjects, such as Music and Science, he does work very hard, but the work for him is so joyful, that it does not seem like work at all.

This is what Jesus means when he says that the yoke is easy. Yes, the "oxen" are still pulling the plow, but with our gifts from Jesus, and with the Peace and understanding from Jesus inside us, the work becomes a passionate pursuit.

In my family growing up, work was a source of anxiety. Not believing in any Higher Power, my family believed in the Worship of Human Endeavor.  IF they succeeded at something, it was all because of their own strength and individual talents. BUT, IF they failed at anything, they blamed themselves bitterly. What had begun as an objective work-project became a subjective field of self-blame, self-condemnation and guilt. This trip down Anxiety Lane leads directly to depression, angst and loss of confidence.

Their work was also a big source of competition --  Who had more money? Who was more successful? Whose house/country home/boat was more expensive, more lavish, more impressive? What had begun as the honest integrity of hard work became jealousy, bitterness, and feelings of personal failure.

Work also was a big source of parental pressure. My work and grades, and those of my brother's, reflected on my parents' worth, or so they believed. Once in high school, my brother and I each received an A-,  on a school project or an essay. To which my mother reacted, with steely-eyed determination: "Next time, you WILL get an "A".  What had begun as simple homework, had become parental rejection and emotional abuse.

In my family, my brother and I were expected to be at least as successful than my parents -- if not more so. Work was a MIGHTY Yoke, as my brother and I worked in fear that our success would not measure up. Our greatest fear was in being a Failure, not only in Society's eyes, but even more -- in our parents' eyes. Our work, far from being a passion, kept us up at night, afraid over the next raise promotion, leadership on a project, and so forth.

The source of all that Fear, Rejection, Verbal Abuse, Anxiety, Depression, Jealousy, Bitterness, Angst and Lack of Confidence? The source of all that is Secular Society's formula for Success.

In America, the Dream is a mansion, an expensive car, private school for the children who will assuredly be top students, country club membership, exotic vacations, and a beautiful spouse. In America, Success means that you take "One from Column A", "One from Column B", and so forth. Success in the secular sense is a Formula.

It is considered Un-American, if not down-right crazy, to claim that you do not even want any of these things. Or that, Happiness is found elsewhere.

For me, I have had Money. And I have had Love. I would rather have Love.

For me, I have relied totally upon myself, to achieve the most in Life, and I have been anxious, depressed, stressed and jealous. I would rather seek Patience, Contentment, Peace, Generosity, Faithfulness, Love and Self-control.

It is far from easy to define these qualities as "Success" these days. Not with the constant bombardment of social media feeding our insecurities; and the relentless onslaught of advertisements offering up our Failures, and shilling products that will supposedly transform us overnight.

I am NOT whole and perfect, in and of myself. I need a Higher Power to complete me, to show me the way, past my faults and insecurities to a place where I am stronger, more peaceful, more loving, more patient, more joyful.

I need to lean on Jesus, and to learn from Him, who is "meek and humble of heart." There, I shall find my Rest.

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