15/06/2026
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for l am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." - Matthew 11:28-29, NIV
I have heard and read these verses for years already, and the lesson I, admittedly, mostly focus on is that we can find rest in Jesus whenever we feel burdened and overwhelmed, which is a fact. Only to Him can we know true peace, because our burdens are lightened in His presence.
But today, let us lean on verse 29. Jesus invites us to come to Him, take His yoke and learn from Him, for He is gentle and humble in heart. The gentleness mentioned in this verse is not just His personality or trait; it is how He communicates His love to us, that we are safe in His presence even when we feel at our weakest. When we accept His invitation and rest in His presence, we realize that what truly heals our tired souls is His kindness. Taking the phrase “learn from Me,” this verse also serves as a reminder of how we can treat both ourselves and those around us.
Practicing gentleness through our journey makes us more like Christ. I read this in a devotional app this morning: “Jesus is gentle, and when we walk alongside Him, we will learn to be gentle too,” and “Being gentle matters more than you think.” I, myself, know that I am not a gentle person by nature, and so this reminded me and encouraged me to practice more gentleness in my life. For us who were not raised as gentle people and grew up tough, with help from God and the Holy Spirit within us, we have to be intentional about how we approach our everyday lives and how we handle the frustrations that we face. Instead of reacting with our usual impatience, let us pause and ask ourselves how Jesus would respond in that same moment. Verse 29 says, “learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart." We can try being mindful of our tone, choosing gentle words over harsh ones, and choosing to prioritize empathy instead of being right. This is a daily practice of catching our own impulsive reactions before we can start hurting others. I have learned throughout the years that staying calm and compassionate under pressure counts as a true strength as well.
In the same way, as we strive to practice gentleness toward others, let us also remember to be gentle with ourselves. Most of the time, we are our own harshest critics and greatest enemies. Don’t forget that we, too, deserve the gentleness we practice. Instead of beating ourselves up for our mistakes, shortcomings, and impossible standards, let us give ourselves the same grace and patience that Jesus offers us. When we treat our own hearts with kindness, we allow God’s peace to settle within us so that our souls can truly rest.
We know that we cannot force ourselves to be patient or soft-hearted in our own limited capacity and strength. Let us always invite God to do that work within us every single day. Let us stay close to Him and lean on His grace alone, so He will produce the fruit of gentleness in our lives. As we give Him permission to soften our hearts and replace our natural reactions with His peace, He slowly transforms our character, making it easier for us to reflect and extend His love to the world around us in ways we never could do on our own.
Have a great week ahead, YAs! Let us walk with Jesus and face every day with gentleness and humility. 🤍 God bless!
