Once upon a time there was a little girl who was just sure God made her to help change the whole world. She just knew she would do big things for God. Why? Well, because she always thought big. That is just the ways she was. It was also her understanding that one could and would make God happy by what they did for Him, and she was determined to make Him happier than anyone.
But God seemed to keep leading her down the road less traveled…the road without degrees or acknowledgement, fancy titles or invitations. Instead it was often a path of obscurity, poverty, and loneliness. She didn’t always see that God was leading her that way. She usually just felt that she had missed her turn somewhere or not gotten the directions right at all. She was just sure that after all her efforts, she was indeed disappointing God more than any of His other children. After all, He’d given her so much to use, and still she could never seem to find the right ways to use it. Like the lazy servant who’d buried his talents, she was certain that one day God would ask her why she wasted all He gave her. Attempt after attempt to do great things just left her in a crumpled heap of discouragement and exhaustion.
…and God found here there. Gently He asked her, “My dear child who makes my heart happy, why must you wear this heavy yoke of your own crafting? Why must you try to carry such heavy burdens? Can’t you see you cannot bear the weight?" After some coaxing, the timid little girl let God lift her yoke off. She was afraid….mostly because she feared she’d never wear a yoke again – that maybe she would be without purpose in the fields.
But God tenderly removed her own heavy and carefully, self-crafted yoke. He rubbed her neck and healed her back and helped her stand again. She looked timidly into His eyes, wondering if He might send her on her way by herself, healed yet “dismissed.” But instead, He invited her to join Him in the other side of His own yoke. At first, she looked down at the ground and shook her head. That was too big of an honor – one she didn’t deserve. But He grabbed her hand and led her to His side, slipping the yoke on her neck. She couldn’t believe how light it was – or how easy it was to follow along beside Him.
And that is my story. I'm still learning to follow His lead one step at a time and see where the adventure leads. Surprise me, Jesus!
