“And it is good for people to submit at an early age to the yoke of his discipline:” (Lam.3:27)
Four Common Life Experiences
The fall of the first man is immediately followed by his inability to take responsibility for his fall. Shifting responsibilities prolongs course and deliverance. There are some people who have been listening to the gospel year in and out but whose lives are still at a point because they’ve not discovered themselves let alone taken responsibility. If God’s word confronts their sinful and worldly life, they would immediately shift the blame to their weaknesses or parents or family issues.
I want to share with you four important yokes we shall all experience in life:
Sin and Worldliness.
The first and most important yoke that God is interested in lifting is sin and every form of worldliness. Matt. 11:28-29 says, “Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke and put it on you, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit; and you will find rest”. When the Holy Spirit rebukes you on the kinds of music you listen to, and your manner of eating, talking, and doing things, consider it a great privilege and an opportunity to step higher.
The Yoke of Darkness.
John 17:15 says, “I do not ask you to take them out of the world, but I do ask you to keep them safe from the Evil one”. Problems of life do not exempt believers. Everyone will taste one at one time or the other. Sadly, some people have committed suicide due to several life challenges. A Yoruba adage says, “Cutting the head doesn’t solve the problem of headache”. Jesus gave us assurance of God’s protection despite the troubles in the world. Problems will continue to exist till Jesus comes.
The Yoke of Dependability.
The yoke of parental attachment or dependability. Lam.3:27 says, “And it is good for people to submit at an early age to the yoke of his discipline:” Lack of discipline is one of the reasons why some Christians achieve little despite many prayers. Prayers will not do what diligence should get done.
Do not excuse the necessary training you need to endure while you are young. When you have parents or guardians who are always concerned with your proper upbringing, it is one of God’s blessings to you. You won’t always be under the tutelage of your parents. Hence, you need to maximize the time you have to spend with them.
God’s Yoke of Maturity.
Jesus said, “Take my yoke and put it on you, and learn from me because I am gentle and humble in spirit, and you will find rest”. The utmost goal of God is seen in Rom. 8:29, “those whom God had already chosen he also set apart to become like his son so that the son would be the eldest brother in a large family”. God builds our character daily through His word, circumstances, and the people around us. The growth to maturity continues till Jesus comes. Unfortunately, wounds are many in some believers’ life without a necessary change in their character.
Have you ever asked yourself, “why me?” Such questions suggest that you would have loved it to be someone else instead of you. It shows you see yourself better than others. Everyone will pass through one fire or the other. It could be an emotional fire, physical needs, family demands, and unanswered prayers. In all, God is faithful. Those prayers that seem to be unanswered are part of God’s ways of maturing us. Actually, there’s no prayer that God does not hear. He may not answer them the way we want them but He heard them. You can depend on Him and trust His judgment. The discipline of studying His word daily, praying, and worshiping are necessary to becoming like Jesus. When revelation comes, it launches you to reality or experience. You don’t become like Christ in isolation. It takes a community to grow the Christian life.
