At work today, a colleague popped in to say hi and mentioned he was having a “filing day.” He’d been carrying around stacks of paper from various meetings, and it was getting heavy, but now he had a drawer, so he was finally sorting through it all.
I know someone else who always carries a huge rucksack, packed with all sorts of things. Partly to be prepared, partly because it’s hard to sort through everything, so instead, he just lugs it all around.
These are very visible examples of burdens people carry, but the truth is, we all do this in some way. Maybe you’ve known someone with a “Mary Poppins bag,” endlessly deep and filled with everything “just in case.” At school, my bag was always heavy – not just with essentials, but with extra books, because you never know when you’ll have a chance to read!
Do we need to carry all this stuff? Probably not. But somehow, it feels safer to have it with us. Or does it?
There’s comfort in being prepared, but carrying extra weight – physically or emotionally – comes at a cost. Aching backs, sore shoulders, tired feet. And that’s just the physical toll. What about the invisible burdens? The worries we carry for loved ones. The guilt or shame from past mistakes. The fear or anxiety about the future.
For some of us, these hidden burdens weigh so heavily that they crowd out hope, joy, and peace. And just like an overstuffed bag, the longer we go without sorting through it, the more it fills up.
But Jesus offers us a different way.
In Matthew’s Gospel, he says:
“Come to me, all who are weary and 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.”
Jesus models this himself. He travels light, physically and emotionally. He doesn’t cling to possessions, and he shares his worries with the Father in prayer. And he doesn’t add to our burdens, unlike the religious leaders of the day, piling on rules and expectations. Instead, he offers a gentle yoke, a way of living that frees us from the crushing weight of carrying everything alone.
Maybe it’s time to have a “filing day” for our souls.
To sort through what we’re carrying and ask: Do I need this?
And if not, to hand it to Jesus.
He’s always there, ready to share the load.
But more than that, he offers freedom, not just to carry our burdens with us, but to lay down the ones we were never meant to bear.
The Reason for my Hope Blog 