How Do We Deal with Weariness as Christians?
Devotional
God has recently been highlighting this theme of the thirsty and the weary. I can’t imagine why, though. *cough**insert thoughtful emoji**cough*
Ok, ok. Full disclosure, that’s me at the moment, the thirsty and weary one. Gah. There is always so much pride in the way of admitting that, yup, I am bone-dry.
O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.
So I have looked for You in the sanctuary,
To see Your power and Your glory.
Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
My lips shall praise You.
Thus I will bless You while I live;
I will lift up my hands in Your name.
My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness,
And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.
(Ps 63:1-5, NKJV)
We’ve all been there, in that desperate dry place, longing for that hunger and thirst to be quenched. But how exactly can we be satisfied? In the midst of my weary questioning, God breathed one word: communion.
You see, when we are thirsty and weary, we need sustenance. Food and drink. And the beautiful truth is, God has already provided the meal. Bread and Wine. His body and His blood. We can simply come in, dust off our feet, and sit at the table.
Depending on your faith background, the word ‘communion’ can spark so much reaction.
Or none at all.
It’s a pillar of Biblical faith. But to be honest, not so long ago, I would have brushed the word aside with a simple, ‘meh,’ and searched for a more interesting topic, one that hasn’t been exhausted by centuries of dry teachings.
But these past few years, God has been highlighting the need to return to some foundations in my faith. And in the last months, communion has been at the top of His list. Yet, I’m only beginning to scratch the surface of why.
He is our life source.
Jesus is our Bread of Life (John 6:35), His body broken for our healing (Isa 53:5). His blood was shed for our redemption, transferring us from a kingdom of dark hopelessness, to the kingdom of the Son of His love (Col 1:13). We don’t live on natural bread alone, but by the Word of God (Deut 8:3), which, by the way, is Jesus (John 1:1, 14). And we overcome the enemy by the blood of the Lamb (Rev 12:11), who is also Jesus.
I don’t know about you, but I’m seeing a recurring theme.
Every victory we have is through Jesus’s body and His blood.
So what is the solution then to our weariness? If God were to fulfill all of our desires, we still would not be satisfied. Why? Because the only thing that can sustain us is Him. Everything else is a temporary reprieve. What spiritually nourishes us and empowers us for victory is the meal He prepared for us through His body and His blood.
Taking communion is about recognizing where our source of life really comes from. It’s not in our best efforts, our circumstances, our spouse, or kids.
We find rest when we lean into WHO JESUS IS.
It’s so foundational that we sometimes forget. He is the source for everything we need to overcome whatever dry place we are in!
The feast has already been prepared, the invitation given. “Everyone who thirsts, come. Sit at the table. There’s a seat waiting for you.”
Photo by James Coleman on Unsplash
When the Valley is Darkest
“They are facing a real battle. Let’s pray for them.”
As a community centred around prayer, these requests often passed through our hands. But this time felt different.
The family had just gone through a devastating tragedy, one I could not even begin to understand. The pain, the loss, the confusion. I grieved with them over what they must be feeling and longed to be some sort of voice of comfort.
But, God, how should I pray? I’ve never experienced anything close to what they are going through.
He nudged me gently to Psalm 23.
Really, God? Can’t you give me something a little less cliché?
But He would not let it go. I flipped to the right page and started reading.
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup overflows …”
Comfort.
The word stuck out at me as though it had been circled with a neon green highlighter. And suddenly, my understanding of that word erupted in my face.
What even is comfort? Images come to mind of a thick fleece blanket tucking me in with a plethora of goose feather pillows at my back. Or perhaps a luxurious car, or a first class ticket on a 9-hour flight. A life of ease, where obstacles and struggles are removed, and we are free to enjoy. No debt, no loss, no broken relationships and difficult circumstances. Isn’t this what we often mean when we ask for comfort?
God knows I have been guilty of praying for such ease, asking Him to strip away all my struggles. But there is no shortcut through the shadowy valley of death. Challenges will come. Obstacles will surprise us. And the valley is often longer than we expected.
But He didn’t promise a life of comfort. He promised to be the God of comfort. The One who walks with you through the valley of the shadow of death so that you never have to be alone. He promised to be your strength, your provider, your covering, so that you can overcome every battle.
If you are experiencing that dark valley right now, I pray that you would also experience the richness of His comfort. Not removing you from the situation, but strengthening you to journey through it with Him. May you encounter His covering of love and His provision of grace every step of the way. The God of comfort is walking with you!
