Miss USA and Depression

While I was on the elliptical, I was listening to these lyrics that struck me...

Separate

Sifting through the wreckage

I can't concentrate

Searching for a message

In the fear and pain

Broken down and waiting

For the chance to feel alive - Linkin Park

That sounds to me like someone who is depressed, sad, in despair, and in pain.  Needless to say, it reminded me of the recent tragic death of Miss USA recently in the news.  If you don't know, she jumped off a high rise in NYC.  

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ said, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30 ESV).

What does Jesus mean by labor and heavy laden?  

The word labor (κοπιάω) in this passage means to become weary and tired, while heavy laden (φορτίζω) has to do with those who are burdened.  Jesus is stating that He wants people to come to Him when they are tired, weary, and burdened so that He can give them rest.  Jesus will cause the people who come to Him to gain relief (Arndt, et al., 2000).

Yoke? What in the world?

Yoke (ζυγός) has to do with expediting the bearing of burdens.  Jesus is saying that people should speed up the process of getting into the teachings of Jesus and learning (μανθάνω) in the sense that people should gain knowledge by His instructions (Arndt, et al., 2000).  Therefore, Jesus is telling people that when they come to Jesus and learn about who He is, then they will have their burdens beared.  

Jesus Gentle and Lowly in Heart

We learn by the next statement that Jesus is gentle (πραΰς) and lowly (ταπεινός) in heart (καρδία).  Jesus is humble and considerate while also being unpretentious.  In other words, Jesus does not attempt to impress others with an appearance of greater importance and is sincere.  When Jesus talks about His heart it is of His inner qualities and character and the center and source of the whole inner life with its thinking, feeling, and will.  Jesus' burden is light (ἐλαφρός) which means that it is of little weight (Arndt, et al., 2000).  "He does not call people to a burdensome and worrying existence" (Morris & Carson, 1992).

Paul also tells us to do the following: "Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2).

Bear Each Other's Burdens

Paul is telling us to bear (βαστάζω), or sustain, each other's burdens (Arndt, et al., 2000).  In other words, Paul says to support, comfort, assist and help one another.  We can do that by listening to each other and entering into each other's lives on a meaninful level.  As Hebrews states, "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near" (Hebrws 10:24-25). 

References

Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., Bauer, W., & Gingrich, F. W. (2000). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature (3rd ed.). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

The Holy Bible: ESV. (2016). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles. 

Morris, L., & Carson, D. A. (1992). Matthew 11. In The gospel according to Matthew. story, W.B. Eerdmans.