I have noticed lately that I am very tired. Life is stressful these days. There are an awful lot of important things happening. I find myself wondering what I am missing. What am I not doing enough of? What should I be doing to help those who need help? Do I really understand? I want to understand. I want to help. I want to do enough.
But it’s all so overwhelming. Information is coming from all directions. There’s information about the virus – and because it’s science the information of what’s best to do changes as more is learned. That gets to be confusing. And then there are those who put out information making claims that the science information is actually politically influenced and therefore can’t be trusted. Quite honestly it feels like we are very much on our own to figure it out for ourselves.
And how long has this heartbreaking news that we’re hearing every day been going on? Surely it’s been months, if not years that we’ve been bombarded with news of death and destruction coming from all directions. It really can’t be only days, can it?
And if the news making stuff isn’t enough, there are the smaller, closer to home events that are happening all around us. People that we love are still getting sick, they are still getting hurt, and they are still dying.
It’s too much. It’s just too much to bear. And yet, what option do we have?
If we’re not careful in such times we can get caught up in the tragedy and become overwhelmed and exhausted and not helpful to anyone – least of all ourselves.
Sometimes we have to make an intentional effort to rest. We have to step aside from all the needs out there and realize that we need rest from time to time
.
How many times did Jesus get away to pray – and then returned to do more work?
We are told God rested at the completion of speaking the world into existence. But we know that doesn’t mean that God stopped working then. God is still very much at work in the world around us.
Yes, God has things for us to do, ways for us to make others aware of God’s continual presence in the world around us, but he doesn’t expect us to do it all at once with no rest. In fact, in just those moments when we are the most weary we aren’t even expected to find rest on our own!
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
When we are at our most tired, we can lean on God’s loving arms to get us through. We can rest in him.
So, if you find yourself exhausted and worn out in these wearing days, give yourself permission to rest. Rest in God for a bit. You will find yourself refreshed.
When you have rested, you can carry on with renewed energy and look forward in hopeful anticipation of a new tomorrow.
Let us pray...
Lord, thank you for this day and thank you for giving us rest when we so very much need it. Help us pause and rest in you, knowing that you always hold us securely in your love. Amen.
Tammy Heimgartner
ELCA Pastor
Grace Lutheran Church, Mountain Home, ID