Jesus says His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Yet what are we yoked to? To be yoked to anything but Christ will only leave us weary and burdened.

Moreover, Jesus' yoke was His cross. How can a cross be an easy yoke and light? He tells His followers to deny themselves, take up their crosses and follow Him. Jesus' yoke as a cross was meant to be shared by us.

Jesus bore His cross out of love. That compelling reason is what makes the burden lighter. When we do things in love, the burden becomes lighter.

At the same time, the cross is a death. When going to the cross, there is no time to consider the past; it is sacrificed. The future is not considered; it is sacrificed. Only the NOW in the present moment is considered.

Thus, Jesus is guiding us to die to our false selves so that we can experience the heavenly NOW. When our past does not control us and our future is secure in Christ, the burden become much lighter for all we can do now is follow Him.