Daily devotion – Help!
When Your Soul Is Weary
There is a weariness that comes from emotional stress that is unlike almost any other kind of weariness. Physical labour can exhaust the body, but the heaviness that comes from a broken relationship, ongoing illness, deep disappointment or prolonged emotional struggle can seem to place a far greater weight upon the soul.
It may not even be the arguments or the outward circumstances themselves. Sometimes it is simply the constant pressure—the thoughts, the uncertainty, the sorrow, the questions—that makes you wonder, “How much longer can I carry this?”
The breakdown of a marriage, the estrangement between a father and son, a mother and daughter, or the pain of watching someone you love struggle can introduce you to a whole new world of suffering you never knew existed.
And when you travel through such a trial, there are moments when you realise that there is nowhere else to turn but to God.
Think of David. Samuel had anointed him to be king, yet David spent years running for his life from King Saul. He knew what God had promised, but the journey between the promise and its fulfilment was filled with fear, uncertainty and emotional anguish.
Or think of King Darius. After being deceived into condemning Daniel to the lions’ den, we are told that the king spent the night without sleep. His position, power and wealth could not remove the anguish that had settled upon his heart.
This is why the words of Jesus are so precious:
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28
Jesus did not say that we would never experience weariness, heartache or burdens. He said that when we are carrying them, we can come to Him.
There are some burdens that people cannot lift from us. There are some wounds that no human words can reach. There are moments when only God can comfort the deepest places of the heart.
Paul reminds us:
“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.” — 2 Corinthians 1:3
What a wonderful description of our God—the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.
When relationship struggles hit us like a tsunami, knocking us off our feet and leaving us wondering how we will ever stand again, God is not distant from us. He sees the anguish. He knows the pressure. He understands the sorrow that others may never fully comprehend.
Perhaps as you read this today, you are completely exhausted from the intensity of what you are going through. Your body may still be functioning, but your soul feels completely spent.
Cry out to God. Come to Him. Speak to Him about the pressure you are under.
You do not need to pretend before Him. Tell Him your fears, your disappointments, your questions and your pain.
The Almighty God of the universe is able to sustain you when you have no strength left to sustain yourself. He can lift your head above the storm clouds. He can bring light into the darkness and hope into a situation that seems hopeless.
You may feel that you cannot take another step—but God can carry you.
So come to Him today.
“Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee.” — Psalm 55:22
The storm may not disappear immediately, but you do not have to walk through it alone. The God of all comfort is with you, and He will sustain your weary soul.