I’m tired . . . really tired. It’s the kind of tired that can become crippling. My brain is tired. My heart is tired. My emotions are tired.

Honestly, my faith is tired.

I often tell people that I was born into hard — hard circumstances and hard family dynamics that brought along hard emotional distress. When I became a Christian at the age of 19, the hard didn’t just disappear. I’ve experienced hard friendships, hard church transitions, and a slew of financial hardships. And so, at 34, I am tired.

This summer has left me with a bit of whiplash. Literally, one thing after another has come against me. I am at a loss in many ways and don’t know what to do. If you are in this place, know that God wants to bring us direction.

I don’t want to be tired and the Lord doesn’t want me to be tired. And He doesn’t want you to be tired either. His desire is for us to learn the rhythms of life and to learn how to navigate them with grace, endurance, trust, and hope.

I look through the Scriptures and I look at the life of Christ. He was busy. He was persecuted. He felt every emotion there is and faced every temptation imaginable, and yet, I don’t believe He lived tired. In those hard times, I believe He discovered how to find times of refreshing.

I have come realize that I was missing those times: Refreshing. Rested. Energy. Doesn’t that sound so good? Doesn’t that just fill you with the deepest sense of peace?

In recognizing that we are in a season when we need refreshing is exactly where He wants us. So, how do we lean into this refreshing?

Intentionally Give God Our Weariness

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” {Matthew 11:28-29}

This verse couldn’t be any clearer. We are weak and frail. Life can be overwhelmingly difficult. In our own strength, we will fail and be overcome by adversities. But in Christ’s strength, we will stand firm and push past every obstacle that opposes us. He willingly and gladly wants to lighten our load. But it’s our choice whether or not we intentionally lay our burdens at His feet. My soul needs rest. This rest only comes when my heart’s affection and my mind’s attention are fully fixed on the work of the cross and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Intentionally Confess Our Sin

“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” {Acts 3:19}

Now, Jesus didn’t have a need to repent because He was without sin, but He always spoke this need into those He came in contact with. We are human. We falter and miss the mark. No one likes to admit their sin. No one likes to admit they have fallen short of God’s standards. But this is where He can bring His deepest refreshing . . . when we admit our need for Him to work in our spirits. Our confession opens a door for lasting restoration.

Intentionally Refresh Others

“A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” {Proverbs 11:25}

This one is a favorite! Refresh and be refreshed. It’s that simple. “Others” is always a calling in our lives. Let’s be generous with our time, our resources, and our encouragement, and the Lord will meet us in our greatest need. He will heal every hurt and speak life into dry places. When our faith is shaky, He will uphold us. He will place people in our paths who will believe in us and believe for us.

Are you in a hard season and needing refreshment? I’d love to pray for you!

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Rest only comes when our heart’s affection and our mind’s attention are fixed fully on the cross. {Tweet this!}

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