The Rest and Work Paradox

I was reminded this weekend of a mind-boggling paradox. As we were watching general conference, my mother-in-law made the statement, “Sometimes when I'm at church, I feel like saying, 'If they tell me one more thing I have to do, I'm going to have a nervous break down.” I began pondering this statement and how it is true that the more we give to the Lord, the more He asks us to give. Many scriptures say, “Unto whom much is given, much is required.”

However, Christ also says, “Come unto me, and I will give you rest. My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” This doesn't seem to make sense. My wife was recently called to the primary presidency just after she returned to school while trying to take care of a two-year-old. After spending an entire day in meeting plus several additional hours magnifying her calling by preparing a lesson, filling in for the secretary, visiting families, and organizing her binder she realized that she hadn't had time to complete her homework. She was ready to quit.

I felt the same way during my last year in school. I was working over forty hours a week, attending school full-time, and trying to raise a young family. Then, I was called as the ward mission leader, which included attending a weekly meeting, visiting investigators and members, and assisting the missionaries. It seemed like I had no time for myself whatsoever. I definitely wouldn't have said that I got much rest. I was usually going to work at 3:00 am and going to bed around 10:00 pm.

So, where is the rest? Where is the easy yoke and light burden? In an Ensign article from 1993, President Hinckley said, “The strength of the Church is not in its thousands of houses of worship across the world nor in its universities or seminaries and institutes. These are all facilities, desirable means to an end, but only auxiliary to that which is the true strength. The strength of this Church lies in the hearts of its people, in the individual testimony and conviction of the truth of this work. When an individual has that witness and testimony, the requirements of the Church become challenges rather than burdens. Declared the Savior, “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matt. 11:30.)

The yoke of Church responsibility, the burden of Church leadership become opportunities rather than problems to him or her who wears the mantle of dedicated membership in the Church of Jesus Christ.”

This last weekend also contained some excellent answers for how this strange paradox of finding rest through giving more works. However, I wanted to leave this open more as a discussion. So do you have any examples or suggestions about how coming unto Christ leads to rest while we are expected to work harder? Please post your comments.