How to Pray: Come

Matthew 11:28-3028 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

The Invitation to Come

Is it possible that sometimes the answer to our biggest struggles is simply surrendering to the fact that we need help and letting God be part of the solution? When we look at the scripture above, Jesus invites those who are weighed down and burdened to come to Him. He offers rest—not a rest of inactivity, but a rest found in joining ourselves to Him. He describes Himself as meek and lowly in heart, and the rest He offers is for your soul.

Sometimes, you can be so tired that it’s not your body that needs rest, but your soul. You can sleep all night and still wake up tired because of the weight you're carrying. God wants to carry that weight with you.

In the scripture, the concept of being "yoked" is illustrated through the way animals were paired with a wooden yoke, enabling them to move and work together. While a yoke might sound like a punishment, it was not. It meant that what one animal was carrying, now two could share. The burden becomes lighter, and they can move faster. What’s more, the stronger of the two leads humbly, not seeking to prove their strength. Because of the heart posture of the one you're yoked with, you’ll find patience, gentleness, and a willingness to carry the heavier load as you learn.

This invitation from Jesus is not to carry more weight, but to lighten your load and learn through it. He wants the weight to work for your good. You can learn from Him and learn how to handle the heaviness in life.

How to Come to Jesus

Two women praying together in a church service at the altar.

So, come.Come to Him on good days.

Come to Him on bad days.

Come to Him when life gets hard.

Come when you don’t know where to start.

Come when you’re guilty.

Come when you’re confused.

Come when you’re tired.

Come when you’re disappointed.

Come in failure.

Come in your weakness.

Come in misery.

Come with sickness.

Come with your addiction.

Come when you have all the options before you and don’t know what to do.

Come when all of your options are gone, but God remains.

Just come.

He doesn’t demand that you let go of your load; He invites you to come with it, allowing Him to carry it with you and for you.

Just come. Come.

Still fighting heaviness? Check out our 70+ PRESS Prayer Podcast that teach prayer strategy, especially this one that talks about praying through depression.