Weariness is my current constant state. And on all levels. Mental exhaustion weighs heavily as my mind feels stretched in many directions, and I feel incapable of balancing them all. Physical exhaustion pulls at my limbs and heavy eyelids from countless middle-of-the-night waking's and the demands of the days dragging my body into a state of pure tiredness. Emotionally, I feel the weight of exhaustion as the needs of my family, the losses of close relatives and friends, and the expectations I hold myself to pull at the worn state of my heart.
I am weary. My heart cries out "Please, God, can I just have some rest?! I feel so very tired and my heart is weary. I just want a break."
Maybe you find yourself in a similar state, whatever the reasons may be. Weariness is common, particularly at this time of year when expectations run high, demands run high, and energy seems to run a lot lower (thanks -30C and lack of sunshine...). In our modern world, the average statistic from googling "burn out in North Americans" is around 58% of Gen-X surveyed report hitting burn-out. Yeah, that's over half. Weariness is, it seems, a constant companion for the majority, so I know I am not the only one asking and sometimes even begging for a rest.
Here's where things changed for me though. I LOVE Christmas music, particularly the old Hymns. And I also love devotionals, Bible studies, podcasts, sermons and blogs that help push me to growth. While I was sitting praying on what to write for today's blog, I felt God remind me of a sermon I heard years ago on "Oh Holy Night".
"Oh Holy Night, the stars are brightly shining. It is the night of our dear Saviors birth. Long lay the world in sin and error pining, till He appeared and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks, a new and glorious morn."
Did you catch that?
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices!
Jesus' birth, His life, and His death and resurrection should bring us hope.
Matthew 11:28 reminds us that when we turn to Jesus, He will lighten our load. "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
Rest, isn't that what I crave? Isn't that what you desire? The truth is, choosing to abide in Jesus every day won't magically take your daily demands away, it won't reduce the physical exhaustion in your body, and it can't mop your floor for you. But, abiding in Christ gives our souls rest that nothing else on earth can give. Better than a cleaning fairy, better than an organized to-do list, better than a solid nights rest, Christ brings a level of "rest" our souls deeply need. Abiding in Jesus allows for you to tap into the Holy Spirit's strength to honor God today as you meet the tasks placed before you, and to do so with joy, with worship, and with the right heart. It changes you from the inside out.
To end this "Wordy Wednesday", I want to leave you with the heartfelt cry of David from Psalm 42 (Vs 5 and 8):
Why, my soul, are you so dejected? Why are you in such turmoil? Put your hope in God, for I will still praise him, my Savior and my God. ... The Lord will send his faithful love by day; his song will be with me in the night- a prayer to the God of my life.
When your soul feels weary, when you feel thread-bare and worn, cling to the truth that Jesus brings. That He is the source of our true rest and that God will send His faithful love each day and His song of praise through the long nights to give us strength to continue, one foot at a time, as we choose to live, fully abiding in Him.
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