Believe Manifesto

I have been thinking a lot this last week about what happens when we run full out. We all have to sometimes when things get sandy, hard and busy–but what should we do when we grow weary?

Many of you might be weary, each for different reasons. Some of you just had a baby, or have one on the way. Some of you just lost a love one, or are caring for someone who just had a horrible diagnosis. Some of you might be in the thick of motherhood and the six letter word was just laid on your life: cancer. Some of you are about a week into summer vacation and already your kids are fighting, screaming, pushing, complaining and you feel exhausted by the thought of bible school, sports, pool, play dates, all while keeping the house clean and making time to get groceries. Your husband may have work up to his ears, he may be off working hard to provide for his family. YOU MAY BE THAT HUSBAND! You may be a daughter who is witnessing hard situations in a family crisis that make your heart feel like it’s about to rip out of your chest. That paragraph just made me stressed out typing it. No wonder we are weary. 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. Isa 40:31

You all, IT IS HARD. And the thing is, for so long I thought, “Life is supposed to be so wonderful, when will my life be like that?” Now–some people (close friends) know that I am a little bit of a rare breed of crazy and my life has just always seemed to be crazy. The funny thing is, you would think I would be used to it by now–but you NEVER get used to it! Just when I think I have things under “control” here comes a wrench and everything is wrecked. Sometimes I try to dodge those wrenches or act like it wasn’t really real and THAT DID NOT JUST HAPPEN. We can’t live in denial you all (we like to try though don’t we?)

The thing is, we are NEVER really in control. God is in control. Also, he tells us it is going to be hard. He never said it would be easy. He tells us to fight the good fight. I LOVE this phrase.

But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time–God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.

1 Timothy 11-16

These things bring us endurance friends. They also make us prepared to give grace to others in hard situations. Situations where without you first going through something gruesome wouldn’t allow you to offer grace to them–that God gave first to you. I don’t really like being weary (did I mention that?) but what I love being reminded of is that when we are weary it forces us to draw our strength from him. The one who gives life. The one who gives us breath. When we are down and out and have nothing left to give, he will renew us and refresh us. He will help us to keep fighting the good fight. Keep going friends. Even when you are weary. Draw closer to him–and keep fighting.