I Have Too Much on My Plate           

“Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.’” Matthew 11:28-30 NLT

How often have you used the phrase, ‘I have too much on my plate?’ I’m not speaking of a dinner plate, which never can have too much on it, but your plate of responsibilities you have taken on. Suddenly you find yourself overwhelmed with the commitments you’ve made all with good intentions or perhaps you just couldn’t say no. Now your plate is full and no extra room to squeeze in the necessary chores you need to accomplish.

I’m beginning to find myself saying, ‘I have too much on my plate.’ Soon, I’ll be asking myself, ‘Do I need a bigger plate?’ But I can answer that right now, No! So, what is needed is an evaluation of the responsibilities on my plate. First, what is on my plate that was put there by God? Second, what has God directed me to add on my plate? During discouraging times in keeping up with the Lord’s work it is good to recall Jesus’ words. When we are weary in our work, even work for God, and the burden seems too much to bear, Jesus says He will give us rest. He doesn’t say, He’ll take away the God appointed duties on our plate, but He will give us rest.

The Lord Jesus invites us to hook up with His yoke, as oxen are yoked together to plow a field. The yoke allows the two to work together side by side. If you’re doing the Lord’s work, you are plowing a field with Him. Young inexperienced oxen are joined together with older experienced oxen for training. Jesus put this work on your plate, and He is right alongside there with you to help you and train you. Notice that even when we get discouraged and feel we can’t go on, Jesus tells us His yoke is easy and the burden He gives us is light. We can trust Him with that. Everything on our plate from the Lord should remain there. He will help us through it. It’s His work.

Third, we may have some things on our plate that need a reevaluation by way of prioritizing. Listing them by priority you’ll be able to accomplish those things which are necessary. The Lord will honor your commitment to fulfilling the responsibilities you have on your plate. Those with less importance, God has not forgotten but will help you complete them in His good timing. And fourth, there may be some things on your plate, and mine that we need to get rid of. They can’t afford to take up valuable important space on the plate the Lord gives us to work. When we prioritize what’s on our plate, beginning with what God has put there and work our way down, we will find there is more than enough space on the plate, maybe even some room for dessert.