Toy Stories: Barbie — Humble vs. Powerful - Monday
Today’s Verse
Matthew 11:28-29
“Come to me, all who labor and are 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.” (ESV)
The very first thing I remember telling people I wanted to be when I grew up was the first ballerina on the moon. Seriously. I have no idea where either part came from, but I have since acquired both a fear of heights and a partially fused spine to make this dream virtually impossible. (Also, I’ve never done the research. Maybe a ballerina has already visited the moon!) Although that dream died young, it was always replaced with something else. And the underlying expectation was this: no matter what I had identified as my dream job, I would learn to do it perfectly.
Have you ever seen those Pinterest fails? The ones where someone pulls up a picture of a beautifully decorated cake, tries to replicate it, and the attempt fails miserably to represent the original? (If you haven’t, it’s worth the search. There are some really good ones out there.)
You know, perfectionism really bites because in your head, it sounds like everything will work out as planned. But when the rubber meets the road, so many of us have discovered that perfection is impossible to achieve. My mom has often said, “If it’s perfect, it’s plastic.” When we try so incredibly hard and still fail to achieve that image we had in our heads, I think we all feel an ache in our bones that says, “I am not enough.”
And yet our culture has met this with an outright lie, saying, “But just remember, you are enough!” Folks, just because we tell ourselves something doesn’t make it true. Here’s the real, biblical truth: not a single one of us is enough, but Jesus is enough.
When we ignore that truth, all we do is wear ourselves down and try to carry burdens that aren’t ours to bear. Matthew 11:28-29 says, “Come to me, all who labor and are 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.” Isn’t that amazing? We can find rest for our souls in Jesus, and no matter how high and how low we look, He’s the only place we’ll find it. And it’s incredibly freeing to realize that we have a God who invites us to lay our burdens at His feet.
APPLICATION
This week, make an effort to memorize Matthew 11:28-29. Put it on a sticky note, write it on your mirror, or change your phone screensaver. When you feel tired and worn down this week, say it out loud.
PRAYER
Lord, remind me that my worth is found in You, not in any of my accomplishments or positions. You are enough. When I am weary, remind me to seek rest in You. Thank You for sending Your Son to die on the cross for my sins. Amen.
