I am weary tonight.
Anyone else?
Some of that weariness is from the season - too many parties and events, too many late nights, too many days without naps for my little ones.
Some of that weariness is from the year - too many commitments, too much stress, too little margin.
And some of that weariness is from the world we live in - too much loss, too much pain, too little hope.
So tonight, with Christmas less than a week away, I am clinging to promises for the weary soul, even if they aren't from the nativity story.
Anyone else?
Some of that weariness is from the season - too many parties and events, too many late nights, too many days without naps for my little ones.
Some of that weariness is from the year - too many commitments, too much stress, too little margin.
And some of that weariness is from the world we live in - too much loss, too much pain, too little hope.
So tonight, with Christmas less than a week away, I am clinging to promises for the weary soul, even if they aren't from the nativity story.
When I am weary, I can rest in my Jesus. Yes, Jesus. The one that Christmas is all about. The one we too often forget about until we collapse, exhausted, in the pew at the Christmas Eve service where we light a candle to the strains of "Silent Night." Jesus, who grew up to say, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:28-29). In my weariness, I need to do those three things: come to Jesus, learn from Him, and let Him give me rest.
When I am weary, I can get my strength from God. In fact, it is when we feel weak and frail that we can experience God's strength the best. Isaiah 40:29-31 says, "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." I could use some soaring in the days to come, couldn't you? The key is in there - hope in the Lord. Not in my circumstances or in my own strength, but in Him.
When I am weary, I can focus on the harvest. The apostle Paul once wrote, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9). How much of my weariness, of yours, comes from doing good things, especially at Christmastime? In winter, it is hard to think about the harvest that is so far in the future. But there will be one. God promises that He is with us and that His Word will not return void, but will accomplish what He desires (Isaiah 55:11). Yes, when I am weary I need to rest and focus on God and lean on Him. But I don't need to give up, because He promises that we will reap a harvest.
Practically speaking, how do I counter my weariness? I can rest in Jesus by making sure I am taking the time to learn from Him and drink in His word, daily. Oh, how I need to learn from Him! I can draw my strength from God by continually, every day, placing my hope in Him, even saying it out loud to remind myself that He, not a change in my circumstances, is my hope. And I can remind myself, maybe by writing it down, what harvest I am looking for in the good that is making me weary, so that I do not give up.
If you are weary this season, join me this last week before Christmas in resting in Jesus, in hoping in God and in focusing on the harvest. God will meet you there, in your weariness, and give you a blessed Christmas.
When I am weary, I can get my strength from God. In fact, it is when we feel weak and frail that we can experience God's strength the best. Isaiah 40:29-31 says, "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." I could use some soaring in the days to come, couldn't you? The key is in there - hope in the Lord. Not in my circumstances or in my own strength, but in Him.
When I am weary, I can focus on the harvest. The apostle Paul once wrote, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9). How much of my weariness, of yours, comes from doing good things, especially at Christmastime? In winter, it is hard to think about the harvest that is so far in the future. But there will be one. God promises that He is with us and that His Word will not return void, but will accomplish what He desires (Isaiah 55:11). Yes, when I am weary I need to rest and focus on God and lean on Him. But I don't need to give up, because He promises that we will reap a harvest.
Practically speaking, how do I counter my weariness? I can rest in Jesus by making sure I am taking the time to learn from Him and drink in His word, daily. Oh, how I need to learn from Him! I can draw my strength from God by continually, every day, placing my hope in Him, even saying it out loud to remind myself that He, not a change in my circumstances, is my hope. And I can remind myself, maybe by writing it down, what harvest I am looking for in the good that is making me weary, so that I do not give up.
If you are weary this season, join me this last week before Christmas in resting in Jesus, in hoping in God and in focusing on the harvest. God will meet you there, in your weariness, and give you a blessed Christmas.
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