Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

We do not all agree on the meanings of things. Our training, or experiences, even our desires color the meaning of certain words and phrases.

Labor, some hate it, some love it. Some feel that it wears them down while others feel like it gives them value or self-worth.

What does heavy laden mean to you? Is that physical, emotional or social? Can you believe that it might mean something different to other people?

These common words which mean different things to different people are tied to a promise. Does that mean that there is more than one promise or one promise that meets all expectations? Reading different versions of the bible will give you cross references that address “Come unto me” and “I will give you rest” but do not address labor and burden.

Since your expectations of the promise are driven by your relevant experience with labor and burden, why aren’t there any cross references to help you define the scope of your expectations?

The answer lies in the source of the expectation. The human condition contains too many variables. If you look at it from God’s point of view then one answer can be found which meets all mankind and leads to one promise that fits all. Where can that be found? Turn to your guide, your counselor, the Holy Spirit.

Do a bible search for vexation of spirit and you will find a rather comprehensive list of labors and burdens in Ecclesiastes. Vexation of spirit means striving with the spirit or not cooperating with the spirit.

If you would like God’s promises to be part of your experience, then I suggest agreeing and cooperating with the Holy Spirit as He enacts God’s will in your life.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

What better way to start off the new year than to take on a newness of life? Every year millions of people make new year’s resolutions about changing their lives. So in the spirit of new, allow me to give you a new way of looking at resolutions.

The possessive indicator ‘s is placed on the word year. The resolution belongs to the year not you. I know that you made the resolution but in doing so you gave over control to the year. It is the year that dictates success or failure because the only thing that has changed is the date. You are still the same person you were last year, you still struggle with the same problems you had last year. Nothing has changed but the date.

What if when you wake up tomorrow you didn’t have a past? All those things that dragged you down and haunted you would be gone wouldn’t they? You would not have a new year’s resolution because there would be nothing to change. You would wake up to the possibility of doing a new thing, all things would become brand new.

We who are in Christ know how that feels. We know how it works. Does that sound like something you might like to explore? If so, come back tomorrow and we will talk about Jesus Christ and all that He can do for you.