The first step in dealing with our pain and suffering is found in how we initially “come” to God. God tells us to come because He knows what is good for us. He is the father-to-a-child in this verse. He is saying that He will take care of us, and He will help us even though it will not be easy. As good parents, we teach our children to come to us because we know what is best for them because they are too young and inexperienced. God is the same with us.

Just come as you are.

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. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30

Let’s give some thought to this passage of scripture.

First we find an important word. Come means come.  Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden.

This is a direct request in response to our human need. God asks for us to come. God is asking us to respond to His loving care. The first thing to note in this scripture is that “come unto me” denotes a request, one that is requiring action of us. Action is common to change if we sincerely want help.

It takes effort on our part, from our self, to begin a seeking of Him, seeking that is genuine, from the heart, and truthful in nature. Within this request, there is an underlying desire on our Father’s part to form a bond of trust between Him and us. Will we trust Him enough to come? It is up to us if we want to proceed or not.

Personal initiative is the beginning and the crucial first step. It is what God wants from us, every one of us. This is documented in story after story in the biblical narratives of Jesus as he helped people. He will ask the person to take a step of faith before He responds to their need. The Old Testament also has stories where God requires an act of faith by the person before the response from God will take place.

God is the object. Come unto “Me,” which is God. This is key if we want to find God in it all, in every circumstance of life, in every struggle, joy, and challenge. We are to come to Him even with our hurts and disappointments and discouragements.

The question is, how do we come?

The coming is dependent on openness, surrender, and willingness. We come with a willing spirit, that is,  we say what we mean and we mean what we say to Father God without holding back. We come to Him in total and complete awareness and honesty. We come with no pretending or hiding behind superficial, spiritual, do-gooder masks. It is like looking in a mirror without your face make-up on or clothing on for that matter. We quit being superficial.

We are naked before Jesus as we remove our self-protected ways of doing things. We must become ready and willing to receive the real truth as it is revealed to us. Do we dictate to God? How much do we let self, even hurt, dictate its agenda?

Come, requires trust, not reasons or explanations, excuses, justifications or self-vindication. It says, here I am. I’m ready. Okay, Father God, let’s get to work. Show me my hurt, my selfishness, my past. I trust You to help me.

There is the little problem of ‘hard work’ that is expected in response to our coming to God with our stuff. It’s worth it, though. The next post topic is ‘labor.’ We know a lot about labor. What we will learn is why labor is important in our spiritual journey.

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©N. L. Brumbaugh