5.18.23: For those ready to quit
"For it is God who works in you to will and act according to fulfill his good purpose." Philippians 2:13
I sense we are all a little (a lot?) tired.
It's not the kind of tired that can be fixed with a cup of tea or a nap; not even the kind of tired that can be remedied with a vacation -- although we wouldn't turn down either.
The kind of tired I'm talking about is a sort of weariness; an overwhelm; that feeling you get if you've even been lost and then become really, really tired of being lost. It's trying to find the horizon again after the landscape has changed, and the landscape has changed for all of us. Many of us have lost our bearings in church, in community, in how we do our work. We may have lost faith in many of the institutions around us that we used to take for granted were safe and right. We may be struggling to find our way back to friendships and rhythms that defined our world pre-pandemic. We may have discovered that we are no longer the same, and we aren't sure we've changed for the better.
I don't know that this kind of tiredness is solved by rest; rather, I wonder if it's met by perseverance. Perseverance isn't exactly a sexy term these days; our culture tells us that when we don't like something, we should change it, improve it, or cancel it. Our stickwithitness may have dried up in the efforts required during covid, and maybe this communal weariness we are experiencing is just all of us, hands on our knees, panting, not sure we can continue on this journey.
But here's the good news.
God specializes in meeting his people when they are about to quit.
He loves showing us His presence when we've got nothing left.
He delights in being our shelter and our sustenance.
He promises His strength.
The passage from Philippians makes it very clear: it's not our strength working to fulfill God's purposes. It's God in us working to fulfill his purposes. It is God who works in us. It is God who sustains us. It is God who can fill your cup for today, giving you just what you need to persevere, to be faithful again--and even more. He's a God of abundance. He will meet you with your need today and still have strength left over to shower you with his love and show you something that will bring you joy.
Friends, let's stick with it today. Let's ask for help to do it. And let's open our eyes to experience Him meeting and exceeding our needs.
A prayer for you:
Father,
You are our ever-faithful and
loving God. You care for us without
exception. You support us without
fail. When anxious thoughts plague
me, You cheer me up with Your
comforting presence. When doubts
and weakness unsettle me, You
uphold me with Your unfailing love.
Without You as my constant help, I
would have fallen into depression
and despair. Constantly remind me
of Your steadfast love and grant me
the determination to persevere
through difficulties, for your love never ceases
and Your help never fails.
(reposted from Connect Us)
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