Following Jesus has been much harder than anyone told me it would be, and I am tired. Was it supposed to cost this much?

“Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them. Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools. They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.”

This is a pilgrim song written for people walking a long distance to the temple, and it does not pretend the route is easy. It names a valley of weeping on the way and then describes them turning that valley into a place of springs. The picture is of strength that grows across the journey rather than being issued in full at the start.

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Jesus offers this to people crushed by religious requirements they could never satisfy. A yoke was still a working implement, so he is not promising the end of effort; he is offering a different fit, one that is shared with him. That distinction matters when you are tired: the question is not whether there is work, but whether you are carrying it alone.