Are You Weary?
I don’t know about you but I am exhausted right now. And I’m not just talking about a physical exhaustion where I didn’t get enough sleep, but rather an emotional, mental and spiritual exhaustion that comes from too many battles – battles of life as I navigate the difficulties and uncertainties brought on by a fallen and broken world. These battles rage and come against me because I have a spiritual enemy.
But God knew this would happen. In Isaiah 40:28-31 we read:
“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” (ESV)
God’s questions direct our attention solely to who He is and what He is capable of. No where does He call our attention to look at anyone or anything (including ourselves). If I am honest with myself, most of my weariness right now is because I lack the faith that God is working in my painful situations and can be trusted with how it will all work out. This lack of faith and trust in the character of God busts open the door to feelings of fear, anxiety and worry, to where I cannot rest. Instead of resting in Him, I take it upon myself to try and fight and fix these battles.
But when I stop to hear and know that…
…. the LORD is the everlasting God - meaning He was, is and will always be the LORD, unrestrained by the limits of time….
….He is Creator of the ends of the earth - meaning the solutions needed are not restricted or limited to what is already seen, in existence or in close proximity….
…..He does not faint or grow weary - meaning when others may quit or take a break, He will never stop working until it's completed….
…..His understanding is unsearchable - meaning because He knows all things and has perfect understanding. He is unrestricted in how and when to accomplish what I need, even if I do not understand His process....
….He gives power and increases strength - meaning He is not Self-serving, Self-consuming nor Self-reserving with His unlimited power and strength; He generously provides to all (that includes me!) who need without compromising Himself…
God asks questions to call our mind and heart to remember who He is. When I know and hear what He says about Himself and take a hold of it as heartfelt truth, THEN everything changes inside of me. I wait. I gain renewed strength. I soar, run and walk throughout life without weariness or growing faint all because I know and see who God is. This is His desire for me and what I am aiming towards experiencing as well (Jude 20-21, 24).
So what is causing you to feel weary and where are you turning to for strength? Yourself? Someone else? A distraction or coping method? How you and I answer these questions will determine our weariness, resolve and strength. For me, because I feel weary right now, I am focused on going often to Jesus. In Matthew 11:28 He says “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (ESV, emphasis mine). Going to Jesus starts when I surrender and abide in Him (John 15:4-5). It also means I do all I can to stay consistent with my prayer life, time in His Word (Philippians 4:6; 1 Timothy 4:13; 2 Timothy 3:16) and staying connected in community with other Christians (Proverbs 27:17, Hebrews 10:25). I also practice a spiritual formation of rest (Psalm 46:10, Matthew 11:28, Hebrews 4:9-10), causing me to be still so that I can be reminded of His character and allow Him to fight my battles for me (Exodus 14:13; 2 Chronicles 20:15; Isaiah 30:15).
Feeling weary too? I hope this helps and encourages you. If you would like prayer, please email us at prayer@builtup.org. Our team would love to pray for you.
