WHY JESUS ISN’T ASKING YOU TO “DO MORE”

(Post by: Lilly Hobbs)

If you’ve been a Christian for more than five minutes, you’ve probably felt it. You know, that low-grade pressure to do more for God. There’s always more to read, more ways to serve, and more “churchy” services you could attend.

It’s more than easy to start feeling like the weight of the Kingdom rests on your shoulders.

But Jesus says something in Matthew 11 that stops us in our tracks:

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest… For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28, 30)

The truth is, Jesus isn’t calling you to a frantic pace of spiritual performance. He’s calling you to Himself. Following Jesus doesn’t start with hustle and leave you with a never-ending to-do list.  

No, it starts with abiding.

Sometimes the most faithful thing you can do is choose NOT to add another item to your to-do list and instead choose to pause long enough to actually enjoy His presence. That’s where real ministry flows from. That’s when obedience stops feeling like a burden and starts feeling like love.

So today, instead of asking, “What else should I be doing?” maybe ask, “How can I be with Him?”

Because the Kingdom doesn’t move forward when we self-source and burn out.

Personally, I’m feeling pulled in about a thousand different directions, and I have lists of things I can’t forget that would fill entire binders if I printed them out. I start a new job next week, all while in the midst of finishing up finals for my school classes, and it’s all feeling a bit heavy today.

Maybe you’re feeling the heaviness and overwhelm today, too.

What my own soul has needed to be reminded of today is that stillness is not a setback. Instead, it’s often the start of something sacred.

Jesus isn’t asking you to do more, friend. Rest isn’t a sin, and I know there’s someone out there who needs to hear that just as much as I do. Fight the urge to always do more, you don’t have to constantly ask yourself if you’ve worked hard enough to rest.

Jesus is inviting you to come and be with Him, fully. To truly enjoy His presence without distraction.

So, today’s challenge for us busybodies: Be faithful by intentionally choosing to go “waste” some time with Jesus. I’m certain we’ll realize that “wasting” some time each day is what we should have been doing all along.

“Waste time this year. Go for long, rambling walks. Write poems. Try a new recipe just because. Pray. Paint. Knit something. Read that big old book. Work on your novel. Our world is obsessed with productivity, but “unproductive” hours are the most soul-shaping parts of our lives.” (Joy Clarkson)