Rest for a weary world

Along with most of the world, I must confess I was quite happy to see the end of 2021 and the beginning of a new year. Somehow a date change comes with fresh hope and expectation. The most common phrases I’m hearing from people are, “I’m tired,” “I’m weary but trusting God,” “It’s been a lot,” or “I’m hoping for a better year."

I think it would be safe to say the world is weary, and rightly so. No one goes to college and gets a degree on navigating a global pandemic and the ever-changing scenarios that come with it.

But as Christ followers, regardless of what we might be facing and feeling, we are never without hope, because our God remains the God of all hope! The scriptures speak directly to weariness, which means our Father anticipated that we would need rescue, and that we would find ourselves in seasons of exhaustion and weakness because the things we had hoped to see are taking a long time. The lie of the long battle is that there is no hope and God has forgotten me. I believe Jesus himself had times of feeling weary, which is why he needed to withdraw after ministry to the crowds. After all he was a man just like us when he walked the earth.

In 1 Kings 17, we find the story of Elijah where God leads him to a place of much needed rest and refreshing.

“Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.” So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.”
‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭17:3-6‬ ‭NIV‬

Our good Father always has an answer to our weariness.

We are not unaware that we have an enemy who is always on mission to wear out the saints with his lies that God has forgotten you or hasn’t heard your cry.
Daniel 7:25 says, “he shall speak words against the Most High and shall wear out the saints of the Most High …”

The good news is that we have a God who is faithful and true in all His ways. Seasons change but He remains the same. He is always for us and all His ways are loving and kind. He is a good Father and He promises us rest and refreshing when we come to Him.

““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 ‭NIV‬‬

Our Father knows that both young and old will become weary. His solution is to put our hope in him and not in what we do not yet see.

“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.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭40:30-31‬ ‭NIV‬‬

He does not leave us in our weakness but comes alongside us to be our strength and give us the grace we need.

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭12:9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

When we are weary, He promises refreshing.
“I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.””
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭31:25‬ ‭NIV‬‬

In this new year, let’s drink deep of the refreshing that comes from His Presence, knowing there’s an open invitation to His rest.