This episode we’re locked in on Take Three of this series. If you’ve been tracking with us, Take One was “Deny Yourself.” Take Two was “Take My Yoke Upon You.” Now we’re at Take Three—and it all ties together.
The Appointment That Wasn’t
We picked up from last time, talking about that fake 11 o’clock appointment we created for ourselves. Nobody told us to be there. Nobody was waiting. But we still stressed about it—just because we made it up.
That’s the point: most of our stress comes from things we create ourselves. Deadlines, responsibilities, expectations—that God never told us to take on.
Take One (deny yourself) and Take Two (take my yoke) give you perspective. They keep you from thinking too highly of yourself, from adding unnecessary weight, from being easily offended. And when you do get overwhelmed, they remind you: “If I was truly meek and lowly, I’d be at rest. If I’m not at rest, I’m standing too tall.”
Take No Thought
In Matthew 6:25, Jesus says:
“Take no thought for your life, what you will eat or drink, nor for your body, what you will put on.”
He’s not just talking about skipping your grocery list. He’s saying don’t build your identity around the things you think you need to survive. He points to the birds and the flowers—they don’t stress, and God still takes care of them.
You can’t add one inch to your stature by worrying. You can’t make your hair grow by thinking about it. Even the skills and art you create come from resources, ideas, and abilities you didn’t invent.
When you really get that, it humbles you. It makes you let go.
Culture and Pressure
A lot of our stress is borrowed from the culture we’ve mixed into. We’ve taken on standards of beauty, success, and “making it” that God never gave us. That’s why people will risk their health for image, or go into debt for a lifestyle.
Jesus says, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added.” If you add them yourself, you’ll have to carry the stress that comes with them. But if God adds them, they come with rest.
The Three Takes
Here’s the framework we kept circling back to:
Take No Thought — Stop building your life around what you’ll eat, drink, or wear. Let go of the worry.
Take My Yoke — Learn of Jesus. Be meek and lowly. Rest for your soul comes from humility.
Take Up the Cross — Follow Him completely. Lose your life for His sake, and you’ll find it.
These three takes aren’t just suggestions—they’re Jesus’ take on life. And everything else fits inside them.
From Low to Up
Everybody wants to be “up,” but in the Kingdom, up starts low. Every tall tree started deep underground. Every resurrection starts with a burial.
When you stop taking thought for tomorrow, stop worrying about provision, and let go of what you never owned—you’ll find that His yoke really is easy, and His burden really is light.
If it’s stressing you, check if you created it. If you did, let it go. Seek first His kingdom. The rest will be added.
