Giving Up or Looking Up?

OK!  I confess.  I’m weary. Tired. Worn out.  I’m exhausted and spent.  Wrung out like a dishrag.  (Are you getting tired just reading this?)    Maybe you can relate.

We have so many things at our disposal which are meant to make our lives easier.  Yet, somehow they manage to bring more stress.  I started thinking about this and it, too, made me tired!    🙂   But, I decided to search for the positive side of it all and see where that might lead me.  There are various aspects to the weariness:

1.  Weary with waiting.

It’s never been my strong suit.  I’ve often thought of “wait” as a four-letter word.  “Hurry up and wait”, we often say.

What does the Bible say?

“I waited patiently for the Lord and He heard my cry…He brought me up…set my feet upon a rock…and put a new song in my mouth.” (Psalm 40:1-3a)

Think back to a time when you waited (im)patiently and later discovered it was best.

2.  Weary with wondering.

We wonder about many things: how does this work, how do we fix that, how to accommodate 10 people at dinner, how God made the earth, etc., etc.  Instead, when we wonder about things, perhaps we might try this:

“I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart, I will tell of Your wonders.”  (Psalm 9:1)

3.  Weary with wickedness.

Look at our world today – at war with each other – nation against nation, individuals against each other.  We have even come to call evil good and good, evil (Isaiah 5:20).  How frustrating and tiring it is to watch things around us literally crumble.  But:

“The Lord is upright; He is my Rock and there is no unrighteousness in Him.”  (Psalm 92:15)

Our part:

“Overcome evil with good.”  (Romans 12:21)

4.  Weary with weeping.

It seems as though sadness and death surround us.  Tragic situations occur.  Prayer requests flood in daily, sometimes moment by moment.  A friend or loved one suffers and we cry with and for them.  But, not forever:

“Weeping may last for a night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning.”  (Psalm 30:5)

“A time to weep and a time to laugh…”  (Ecclesiastes 3:4)

“He shall wipe every tear from their eyes and there shall no longer be any death, mourning, crying or pain.”  (Revelation 21:4)

5.  Weary with worrying.

About the future.  About various family members.  About hurting someone’s feelings.  About not measuring up.  About health.  About finances.  The list goes on…

“do not be anxious about your life…which of you by being anxious can add a single cubit to his life’s span?  But, if God so arrays the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more do so for you, O men of little faith?  Therefore, do not be anxious for tomorrow.”  (Matthew 6: 25, 27, 30, 34)

:…nor do I involve in great matters or things too difficult for me.”  (Psalm 131:1)

Are you just plain weary?

“Yet, those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength…they will walk and not become WEARY…”  (Isaiah 40:31)

“Come unto Me all who are WEARY and heavy laden and I will give you rest.”  (Matthew 11:28)

So, don’t give up!  Look up!

“They looked to Him and were radiant.”  (Psalm 34:5)

“Seek the Lord and His strength, seek His face continually.”  (Psalm 105:4)