Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:31

Renewing our strength

Lately, as I’ve been listening to people talk, I’m hearing an underlying tiredness. I think we’ve been running on empty for a while now, maybe ever since 2020. For a variety of reasons, many of us are having trouble finding the energy we need to move into the world we see before us. Our desire is to move forward, to be people of peace and justice, compassion and hope. So how do we find the strength we need for this chapter of our journeys?

Waiting for the Lord sounds counter-intuitive. But in reality, waiting for the Lord can be a time rich in getting filled up with the things that renew our spirits. Listening to music that touches our souls, reading and listening for the word of God, prayer that involves silence as well as our words, these are all ways to actively wait on the Lord. The possibility for running and not being weary on our road to actively being the compassion the spirit of God wants us to spread – this is a journey worth getting filled up to take.

Prayer: Dear God, Help me to find the strength you want me to have, to walk in your love in this life. Amen

Reflection Questions:

1. Have you been feeling tired? Why do you think that is true?
2. What fills you up when you are tired in body and spirit?
3. How can you make space to be filled up?