Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28)

Nothing is more painful than hopelessness.

When it settles into a life, everything loses its meaning.

The smallest effort becomes a daunting task, and the strength to go on disappears. Paths become confusing, decisions impossible and vision disappears.

And as we try to move somewhere, we carry heavy burdens of fear, guilt and shame. Burdens that plunge us, even more, in our hopelessness.

And when we try to find ways out, all we find are partial or temporary solutions.

A short break to regain some strength, or a time to forget the sadness. Pero pronto la realidad vuelve a tomar su lugar.

It is then that Christ gives us these words: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Because Christ did not come to condemn us nor to burden us, even more, with heavy rules or rites. Christ came to bring the solution to our despair.

And, with it, she brought us a promise of rest and renewal. And the only thing He asks of us is to go to Him.

Go to his presence just as we are. There is no need to “put on Sunday clothes”, nor is it necessary to fix things before seeking God. All you have to do is go.

What needs to be changed, what needs to be removed, and what needs to be healed, will be the work of the Holy Spirit.

And He will do so in due time.

Our part is to respond to this offer of love: Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened.

His promise, his part in that commitment, is to give us rest.

But this coming should not be a mere approach to Jesus, with the sole intention of leaving our burden. Like someone who goes to a mailbox to leave a letter, and immediately leaves.

It is to go to Him to stay at His feet; it is to cling to God and not leave Him until He blesses us.

It is not a matter of making a brief prayer with the sole objective of waiting for Him to solve everything. It is to approach God and wait, trusting in his grace and mercy.

Not because of what He is going to do in our lives, but because of what He has already done.

And the rest will come.

God bless you.

Cover image by Ben White on Unsplash