The Weight of the World, the Relief of Christ

How often do we find ourselves overwhelmed? The demands of family, vocation, and the persistent clamor of the modern world press upon us, threatening to crush the Spirit within. We’re tempted to trim, to simplify, to *remove* elements that seem to add to the load. And sometimes, that temptation extends to the very source of our strength: Jesus Christ.

Brother David J. Wonderly's talk, “Jesus Christ is Not Our Burden, He is Our Relief,” cuts through the noise with a simple, profound truth. The anecdote about his son, burdened by rocks in his backpack while clutching a picture of Christ, resonated deeply. The boy’s instinctive reaction – “Are you crazy?” – when his father suggested removing the picture highlights a growing tendency to view faith as just another obligation, another item to be jettisoned when things get tough.

This isn’t a new struggle. Isaiah prophesied of a time when the people would “forsake the fountain of living waters, and hew them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water” (Isaiah 55:1). We, too, are prone to seeking relief in worldly sources – possessions, accomplishments, fleeting pleasures – rather than turning to the wellspring of divine grace. The Brethren have repeatedly warned against the dangers of prioritizing temporal pursuits over eternal covenants. Do we truly believe that a heavier workload necessitates a lighter faith?

The power of Wonderly’s message lies not just in the analogy, but in its blunt declaration: “Satan is a liar.” It's a bold statement, a necessary reminder that the adversary’s whispers are designed to deceive us into believing that Christ’s teachings are a burden, a hindrance to our progress. He wants us to believe that we can shoulder the world's problems without Him, that our own efforts are sufficient.

Consider the implications for our temple covenants. Are we fulfilling our sacred obligations, or are we relegating them to the periphery of our lives, rationalizing our neglect with the excuse of busyness? Do we actively seek the Spirit’s guidance in our daily decisions, or do we rely on our own judgment, believing that we can navigate life’s complexities without His counsel?

The Restoration is not merely a collection of doctrines and ordinances; it is a pathway to divine power and protection. To discard Christ from our burdens is to sever ourselves from that power, to expose ourselves to the perils of the world. It is to embrace a burden far heavier than any we could ever bear on our own.

Let us examine our own “backpacks,” scrutinizing the contents that weigh us down. Are we clinging to anxieties, resentments, and worldly ambitions that obscure our vision of the divine? Let us, with humility and faith, release those burdens to Christ, trusting in His power to lighten our load and guide our steps. He is not the weight; He is the relief.

Let this be a call to renewed devotion, a commitment to placing Christ at the center of our lives, even when – especially when – the world seems to demand otherwise. Let us strive to emulate the unwavering faith of those who have gone before us, those who have faced trials and tribulations with unwavering trust in the Lord’s promises.