Weary. Now there is a word common to a woman’s vocabulary. How often do we, as women, try and do it all? We work, cook, heal wounds, run errands, manage bills, do mountains of laundry, counsel
friends and family,
and maybe embrace a career… and the list goes on and on. We often blame men for their pride and self-reliance. But, could it be that we woman are just as self-reliant in our quest to do all and be all? Do I, with all my tasks, responsibilities, accomplishments and goals, wear myself out on a daily
basis? Do I make it my goal, on a daily basis, to spend time with God, be
in His Word
and ask Him for strength?
If
truth be told we are weak gals. How many times do we sigh, heave and complain
about how exhausted we are? We hit weariness more often than we would like to admit. We run, we stir, we do, we multitask, but, we are tired. We are what Isaiah calls “weary”.
dictionary means: Lacking strength, energy or freshness because of need for
rest or sleep; exhausted in strength,
endurance or vigor; having ones patience, tolerance or pleasure exhausted. Synonyms of weary include:
Beat, beaten, burned out, bushed, dead, done, drained, exhausted,
fatigued, limp, pooped, spent, trapped, tired, tuckered, washed out, frazzled,
worn out, over-fatigued, overtaxed, sapped, weakened, sleepy, sluggish, disable,
dishearten
weary words? We have all been there. You can see it on faces, you can
hear it in tone of voice, perhaps you see it when you look in the mirror. The
great hope, the great remedy is Christ. It says HE increases the power of the weak. I am
only speaking to you from my own weary heart and circumstances. Working three 12 hour night shifts a week and homeschooling and adding on all the other
“to do’s” on my list, I find myself, more often than not- weary, drained, done,
disheartened, frazzled (feel free to insert any other words here from the
list above).
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| photo credit: google images |
night shifts he kindly asked me, “Do you want me to go get you a coffee?” I
gladly accepted, more than thrilled that pumpkin lattes were the
special of the month. As we headed down the road I spotted her to my right. An
elderly lady on a very busy road, riding her bike with loads of bags attached
to the handle bars. This lady, with white hair and a scarf atop her head, appeared
to be in her late 70’s. It was a hot day and the sight of her made
my husband and I both gasp as we whizzed by. It was not only the danger of her ride, but the weariness
she must have felt. But coffee called, and we headed to our destination; quickly
forgetting the lady and her load. I gladly told the young gal at the window my
solution to my weariness, a medium pumpkin latte, with whipped cream and cinnamon
please.
But the Lord had another example for me that did not require foaming
and brewing in a cup, but rather a foaming and brewing of my heart.
There across from us, as we sat at the window awaiting our coffee, was
that little lady, heaving and pushing her bike right in front of us up the side
street. Her weariness was no longer a quick glance as we did 45 on a busy road.
But rather, it was there front and center for us to behold at a standstill.
husband said, “ Why don’t you go ask her if she needs any help?”
replied, “but I am sure she will say no” (assuming that she was as self-reliant as
me)!
street.
please!”
desire for it was no longer number one. We untied her grocery bags from the
handle bars as she told us she had gone out, because she had been out of food
for days. I picked them up, my fingers aching, because they were mostly full of canned
goods. The load was unfathomable to me- how such a tiny lady could have lugged it for so long. She explained that she had gotten the items at the
food bank. I looked at her in shock. “Surely not the food bank on Spouse?” I said.
“ Yes, there!” she chimed in. That was 5 miles back down the road.
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| photo credit: 123RF |
My heart began to stir as it broke for this weary woman. We
loaded her bike as she talked our ears off. I closed the van door and figured we would go two, or three streets down,
make a right, and take her home. We rounded the curve and she spoke up, “Okay
now get out on the highway.” I could not believe what I was hearing. “Yes, I live
in Diamond Valley!” she declared. Another 3 miles down the street. I would not
even attempt to ride so far at my age. I could not imagine this old lady doing
it on a bike loaded with food.
My eyes began to tear and my heart began to
brew again; my coffee growing cold in my hand. She chatted the whole way, thanking us for the
ride and sharing of her life. At last she told us where to turn and we headed
down a bumpy dirt road. We pulled up to a tiny trailer, one you would pull
behind a truck. “ This is it!” she said as we stopped.
We helped her unload her
bags and bike. I felt compelled to hug her and I asked if I could say a prayer
for her. I held her little shoulders close and asked God to be her strength, to
provide for all of her needs. I handed her my number. Not imagining her ever
biking that highway again. She took it and said she would call if she needed a
ride. Our day was changed. My husband
and I rode back home completely silent.
was my lesson? We think we are so
strong. Just like that little lady on her bike with her load. I am sure she set
out thinking she could do it. No one else would if she didn’t, right? That is
just like me. I am already tired some days and I still push it. I am doing this
because if I don’t it is not going to get done. I am like that lady with her bags and
a bike. Pushing my load, even to the crazy extent of doing it on the busy highways
of this life. She was hungry, had not eaten all day, and still went out. My soul is hungry too. It needs God, His Word
and His strength for the day. Yet, how often do I set out on my own to do it myself? We think we are so strong but we women can be just like this lady- deprived,
tired, hungry and on a bike with our heavy load pushing it all on our own. But
then God comes along with HIS STRENGTH. He loads up our bike, that we have been wearily
riding, lifts up our heavy burdens and gives us a ride home so we can
rest. His desire is to increase our
strength if only we would go to Him for it.
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| photo credit: bible images.org |
Before I leave you let me give you some words that are
the opposite of weary…
revitalized,
active, energetic, invigorated, strengthened, strong, peppy, tireless,
weariless.
in
mine. They are there for the taking gals, right there in our God’s
invitation.
So what is stopping you from strength?
Load up that rusty bike of yours,
let go
of that load and start your day with Him. Pick up His word and receive
strength. You may find you prefer riding in the passenger seat after
all. I hope if you see me along life’s road it will not be on a loaded
bike. I hope I can wave at you from a rolled down window of refreshment
with Jesus at the wheel. I hope and pray I can be a woman that
receives strength from Him.
Wonderful words of encouragement! And to think I almost bought a bike for $10 across the street at a yard sale last weekend! I'd much rather be in the passenger's seat with Jesus at the wheel!! 🙂 XOXOXO, Your Auntie WLJ