I am sometimes a little amazed that some people seem to think that because we profess to be a Christian – a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ – that automatically equates to never getting upset, never murmuring, never complaining, never getting angry, never getting frustrated, never having to face heartaches and disappointments, and perhaps, some even think that Christians never shed any tears or have any sleepless nights. The reality of the matter is that nothing could be further from the truth.
Are we not all mortals? Do we not at times feel pain, suffering, frustration, remorse, anger, and the agony of defeats as well as the joy of victories in our lives? Does Christ not know the burdens that we bear and the feelings and emotions that sometimes accompany those burdens? Indeed He does. And He has promised us, just as He did the Apostle Paul in his time of affliction, that His grace is sufficient and that He will never give us any more than we can possibly bear.
The Scriptures tell us that Jesus wept (See John 11:35). The Scriptures also teach us that He got angry. See Him in the Temple as He overturns the tables of the money changers because they were turning the Sacred House of the Lord into a den a thieves when they should have revered it as a place that had been consecrated and set apart as Holiness unto the Lord – a place of order, a place of prayer (See Matthew 21:13; Mark 11:17; Luke 19:46). Come now to the Garden of Gethsemane and see Him as He kneels in prayer throughout the night interceding on our behalf. Hear Him as He earnestly communes with the Father and asks that if it be the Father’s will that He would take the bitter cup from Him. Hear Him still in that same Divine conversation as He relinquishes His own will and yields totally and completely to the will of His Father (See Luke 22:42).
This life is a test that is filled with challenges and obstacles that we must face and overcome along the way. But, we need not face those obstacles and challenges alone. In times of distress and trouble the Savior bids us to come unto Him and He will give us rest for our weary souls.
During His earthly ministry as both God and man He felt of the same emotions that we sometimes experience. The main difference is that even though He may have had those same feelings and emotions, He was able to press forward at all times and do the will of His Father who had sent Him – praying in earnest, “Father, not my will, but thy will be done”. We, as mortals, on the other hand, often feel inadequate, too tired, or just plain defeated in our struggles, and so it becomes easier for us at times to just give in and give up believing that our burdens are just too much to bear. However, we should take heart in knowing that He is our Great Burden Bearer. When the weight of the world presses down heavy upon our shoulders, He is right there to lift us up and to make our load easier to bear. Listen closely now as He bids us, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (See Matthew 11:28-30).
