Fighting Weariness

Today's Reading: Hebrews 12

Scripture:

"For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12:3

Observation:

The temptation to grow weary and lose heart is nothing new. Living a life after God demands much from a person. In this passage the writer points his readers back to Jesus. For renewal during times of tiring.

Application:

Resisting temptations, moving past self-destructive issues, and allowing God to shape me into His image are all really tiring things. Throw into that mix raising my kids, loving my wife, providing for my family and leading in my work; it does not take long for the weight of it all to cause my steps to become quite heavy.

As load of it all bears down on me and begins to drain the life from my soul and my heart begins to falter I am often tempted to seek an escape. Anything and everything can become tempting in these moments of weary weakness. This chapter from Hebrews encourages me to look to Jesus when things feel like they are going to consume me.

As I have done that this morning, I see three things to remember: 1.) Face the truth that it is not going to get easier. Hoping for an easier path is a false hope. Facing this reality forces me to find relief in doing the right things. 2.) Find the joy in what God has done through Jesus. Life does not have to be laborious, slave-like labor. There is joy in following after God. 3.) Hitch up my britches and get to work. Giving up, quitting, turning away, indulging in past behaviors, or laying down will only result in further pain. I must run the race with endurance.

Prayer:

Father I ask that You empower the words handed to me this morning and allow them to work a transformation in my heart. You know me better than anyone on earth ever could. You know my past, see my tendencies, and clearly understand my failures. There are seasons of the year when I flat get tired and weary. I pray that You help me find hope in the truth, be filled with the joy of pursuing you, and have the courage to lean into my responsibilities as a noble son of Yours. I totally lay myself at Your feet and trust You to be my rest when I need it.