The Easy Yoke

 Devotion: The Easy Yoke That Carries You

“For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” – Matthew 11:30

Over the past few days, we’ve been considering what it means to truly be a disciple of Jesus—to take His yoke upon us, follow Him, and live in obedience to His teachings. And if you’ve really thought about it, maybe your heart has whispered, “This sounds hard.” And in many ways, it is. Discipleship isn’t a stroll through comfort and success. Jesus never promised that. He promised Himself.

So how can His yoke be “easy” and His burden “light”? Because the journey isn’t about what you carry—it’s about who carries it with you.

When I look back on some of the hardest moments of my life—those times when I had to make a difficult choice to obey the Lord, to let go of something that was dear to me, or to walk away from what the world would call a “blessing”—I remember the quiet presence of Jesus walking beside me. There was pain, yes, but there was also peace. There was loss, but there was joy in knowing I had chosen obedience.

Jesus never calls us to discipleship and leaves us to walk alone. His Spirit walks with us, strengthens us, comforts us. He reminds us in Mark 10 that anything we give up for His sake will be returned to us, a hundredfold. That return might not come in the form of finances or status—but in the richness of community, the joy of purpose, and the sweetness of eternal hope.

I’ve met people who walked away from dishonest business deals, toxic relationships, or compromised lifestyles—not because it was easy, but because they loved Jesus more. And afterward, they all say the same thing: “It was worth it.”

Contemplation:

• Have I said "yes" to Jesus even when it costs me something?

• Do I trust that He will be with me through the difficult parts of discipleship?

• Am I measuring His “hundredfold return” with the eyes of the world or the eyes of faith?

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank You that when You call me to follow You, You also walk beside me. Thank You that Your yoke is easy not because the path is smooth, but because You carry the weight with me. Help me to trust You in every sacrifice, in every “no” I must say to the world. Let obedience become my joy and Your presence be my strength. Thank You for the promise that nothing done for You is wasted. I choose to walk in Your footsteps today.
Amen.