Dealing With AnxietySample

The Great Invitation

Matthew 11:28-30

In our busy and performance-based culture, most people feel some degree of worry and anxiety. Anxiety often causes extreme weariness and pressure. Jesus offers us two invitations in dealing with this:

1. Come to Him

2. Take His yoke and learn from Him

Who is to come? The weary and burdened - people who are laboring and heavy laden, exhausted and despairing, extremely tired and weighed down, ready to collapse. Why should we come to him when we are weary? Because Christ will give us rest. No matter how intense the struggle and despair or the emptiness and loneliness, Christ will give rest. No person has drifted too far for Christ to help if the person will only call upon Him.

Why should we take up the yoke of Christ? Why should we begin to learn of Christ? Christ is gentle and humble. He cares and looks after us; He is concerned and compassionate, knowing how far we can go and how capable we are. He made us; therefore, He has the right yoke for us. By taking Christ's yoke and learning of Him we learn how to live and work under His leadership, direction, guidance, and care. He is the only One who can teach and assure us of true rest (of body, mind, and spirit) and provides the only yoke that really fits and is easy to bear.

Study Questions:

· What are you dealing with today that is causing extreme weariness and pressure? How have you been dealing with it?

· What does it mean to "come to Him"?

· Is it hard for you to lay down your anxieties and worries and take up the yoke of Christ?