1 00:00:02,650 --> 00:00:14,300 Speaker 1: Life Audio Welcome to the Crosswalk Devotional. We're glad to 2 00:00:14,360 --> 00:00:18,340 Speaker 1: have you listening with us. Today's topic is about what 3 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:22,760 Speaker 1: to do when life wears you down. We'll return with 4 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 1: an emotional after a message from our sponsors. When Life 5 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:44,519 Speaker 1: Wears You Down, written and read by Alexis A. Goring. 6 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:48,440 Speaker 1: I lift up my eyes to the mountains. Where does 7 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:51,640 Speaker 1: my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, 8 00:00:51,940 --> 00:00:57,360 Speaker 1: the maker of heaven and earth. Psalm chapter 121, verses 9 00:00:57,360 --> 00:01:03,110 Speaker 1: 1 and 2, NIV. There's a song by 10th Avenue 10 00:01:03,150 --> 00:01:08,670 Speaker 1: North that inspired this devotional. A melancholy melody starts Then 11 00:01:08,690 --> 00:01:12,940 Speaker 1: the opening lyrics say how tired and worn this person feels. 12 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:16,220 Speaker 1: They have a heavy heart from all the work it 13 00:01:16,260 --> 00:01:20,660 Speaker 1: takes to just continue breathing. The mistakes they've made are 14 00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:23,899 Speaker 1: creating a dark cloud over their head, and the weight 15 00:01:23,959 --> 00:01:27,970 Speaker 1: of the world is crushing their soul. But they know 16 00:01:28,030 --> 00:01:31,149 Speaker 1: that God can give them rest. So with all they 17 00:01:31,190 --> 00:01:34,810 Speaker 1: have left, they muster up a cry to him. The 18 00:01:34,870 --> 00:01:37,350 Speaker 1: singer says he knows he needs to lift his eyes 19 00:01:37,470 --> 00:01:40,190 Speaker 1: up to God and remember Him, trusting God to see 20 00:01:40,230 --> 00:01:43,069 Speaker 1: him through these tough times. But he feels too weak 21 00:01:43,130 --> 00:01:46,300 Speaker 1: to look up because the trials and storms of life 22 00:01:46,390 --> 00:01:50,090 Speaker 1: won't cease. But he knows God can give him what 23 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:53,160 Speaker 1: he needs, renew his mind, and restore the brokenness of 24 00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:56,540 Speaker 1: his soul. So, though they don't have the will or 25 00:01:56,620 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 1: energy to fight, they have hope because they know God 26 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:04,020 Speaker 1: will fight for them. This reminds me of the Bible 27 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:08,239 Speaker 1: verse above, Psalm 121. It also reminds me of words 28 00:02:08,300 --> 00:02:10,880 Speaker 1: by Ellie Montz that she posted to her Instagram page 29 00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:14,609 Speaker 1: a while ago. Montz said, God is not far from 30 00:02:14,650 --> 00:02:17,829 Speaker 1: you right now. God is not asking you to perform 31 00:02:17,930 --> 00:02:22,130 Speaker 1: or pretend or power through. God sees how tired you are. 32 00:02:22,710 --> 00:02:26,169 Speaker 1: God knows the weight you are carrying. God understands the 33 00:02:26,210 --> 00:02:29,010 Speaker 1: tears you do not even have the energy to cry anymore. 34 00:02:29,750 --> 00:02:33,110 Speaker 1: Jesus said, Come to me, all you who labor and 35 00:02:33,169 --> 00:02:36,190 Speaker 1: are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11, 36 00:02:36,190 --> 00:02:40,380 Speaker 1: verse 28. Rest does not mean everything suddenly feels better. 37 00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:44,419 Speaker 1: Sometimes rest is simply permission to stop pretending you are okay. 38 00:02:45,060 --> 00:02:47,639 Speaker 1: Sometimes rest is letting God sit with you in the 39 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 1: dark instead of forcing yourself toward the light. You are 40 00:02:51,260 --> 00:02:54,549 Speaker 1: not failing because you are tired. You are not unfaithful 41 00:02:54,610 --> 00:02:58,070 Speaker 1: because you are overwhelmed. You are human. And God is 42 00:02:58,130 --> 00:03:02,079 Speaker 1: gentle with humans who are worn down. Isn't it good 43 00:03:02,139 --> 00:03:04,060 Speaker 1: to know that God is gentle with us when we 44 00:03:04,100 --> 00:03:07,450 Speaker 1: feel worn down by life? As a person who suffers 45 00:03:07,470 --> 00:03:10,770 Speaker 1: from chronic fatigue, I know what it's like to feel tired. 46 00:03:11,370 --> 00:03:14,810 Speaker 1: You can feel too tired to do simple tasks or exercise. 47 00:03:15,290 --> 00:03:18,890 Speaker 1: Sometimes sleep doesn't fix it either. But I am grateful 48 00:03:18,930 --> 00:03:21,880 Speaker 1: to know that God offers rest to me and everyone 49 00:03:21,900 --> 00:03:25,320 Speaker 1: who needs it. Over the years, God has shown me 50 00:03:25,380 --> 00:03:27,840 Speaker 1: that He knows what I need before I know, and 51 00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:31,000 Speaker 1: He already has provision in place. And when we feel 52 00:03:31,020 --> 00:03:33,510 Speaker 1: too tired to lift our eyes up to Him and 53 00:03:33,550 --> 00:03:35,890 Speaker 1: send up first to heaven about how we feel and 54 00:03:35,910 --> 00:03:39,110 Speaker 1: what we need, we can trust that God's Holy Spirit 55 00:03:39,170 --> 00:03:43,190 Speaker 1: intercedes for us, saying to Him what we cannot as 56 00:03:43,250 --> 00:03:47,580 Speaker 1: He helps us when we feel weak. Romans 8, verses 57 00:03:47,580 --> 00:03:51,700 Speaker 1: 26 and 27. Part of our human experience on earth 58 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:55,560 Speaker 1: is to go through storms, trials, and tribulations. These elements 59 00:03:55,620 --> 00:03:58,720 Speaker 1: and factors can make us weary. It can also obscure 60 00:03:58,820 --> 00:04:01,120 Speaker 1: our view of God and really weaken our faith in 61 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:03,560 Speaker 1: Him when we cannot see Him nor sense His presence 62 00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:07,280 Speaker 1: in the dark and challenging times. But the good news 63 00:04:07,380 --> 00:04:10,710 Speaker 1: is that God is always here with us. Matthew 28, 64 00:04:10,700 --> 00:04:13,660 Speaker 1: verse 20. Jesus Christ is not just the light at 65 00:04:13,700 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 1: the end of the dark tunnel. He is the light 66 00:04:16,100 --> 00:04:21,860 Speaker 1: beside us and within us. 1 John 4, verse 4. Therefore, 67 00:04:22,100 --> 00:04:25,380 Speaker 1: we have nothing to fear. We can rest knowing that 68 00:04:25,420 --> 00:04:28,279 Speaker 1: Jesus will always be with us. He will give us 69 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:31,460 Speaker 1: what we need to take the next step. Proverbs 3, 70 00:04:31,460 --> 00:04:35,110 Speaker 1: verses 5 and 6. Climb that mountain, take that leap 71 00:04:35,190 --> 00:04:39,310 Speaker 1: of faith, and survive the storms of life. Next time 72 00:04:39,350 --> 00:04:42,470 Speaker 1: you're feeling worn down by life, go to God. Even 73 00:04:42,510 --> 00:04:45,950 Speaker 1: if you cannot pray for a long time, simply saying, Jesus, 74 00:04:46,130 --> 00:04:49,430 Speaker 1: help me, will be enough. And if you cannot even 75 00:04:49,550 --> 00:04:53,170 Speaker 1: say those words silently or aloud, trust that God already 76 00:04:53,210 --> 00:04:55,500 Speaker 1: heard the cry of your heart, and He will meet 77 00:04:55,510 --> 00:04:59,330 Speaker 1: you in your time of need. In closing, please listen 78 00:04:59,370 --> 00:05:05,109 Speaker 1: to and reflect on these five songs. Song of Reflection No. 1, 79 00:05:05,110 --> 00:05:09,280 Speaker 1: Warn by 10th Avenue North. Song of Reflection No. 2, 80 00:05:09,279 --> 00:05:14,339 Speaker 1: My Help by Brooklyn Tavern Echo Choir. Song of Reflection No. 3, 81 00:05:14,339 --> 00:05:19,180 Speaker 1: My Prayer for You by Elisa Terrier. Song of Reflection No. 4, 82 00:05:19,180 --> 00:05:24,050 Speaker 1: It's Always Been You by Phil Wickham. Song of Reflection No. 5, 83 00:05:24,050 --> 00:05:29,390 Speaker 1: His Strength is Perfect by CeCe Winans. Intersecting faith and life. 84 00:05:29,990 --> 00:05:31,770 Speaker 1: How does it feel to know that we can lean 85 00:05:31,830 --> 00:05:33,980 Speaker 1: on God and trust him to restore us when we 86 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:39,039 Speaker 1: feel worn down by life? Further reading. Isaiah chapter 26 87 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:44,529 Speaker 1: verse 3. Philippians chapter 4 verse 13. Psalm chapter 28 88 00:05:44,529 --> 00:05:49,870 Speaker 1: verse 7. Psalm chapter 46 verse 1. Hebrews chapter 4 89 00:05:49,870 --> 00:05:57,800 Speaker 1: verse 16. If you're looking to grow in prayer or 90 00:05:57,820 --> 00:06:00,080 Speaker 1: start your day with your heart focused on the right things, 91 00:06:00,100 --> 00:06:02,300 Speaker 1: search for Your Daily Prayer in your favorite podcast app 92 00:06:02,580 --> 00:06:26,410 Speaker 1: and be sure to follow the show so you get 93 00:06:26,450 --> 00:06:29,620 Speaker 1: a new prayer delivered straight to you each morning.