“And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ Then I said, ‘Here I am! Send me.’” Isaiah 6:8 (ESV)

Life. Is. Hard. (Can I get an “amen” from the choir?) And it feels like it’s getting harder every day. All it takes is a quick look around to understand this world is messed up.

Be it a global-scale atrocity or an injustice felt only by us, the weight can be heavy, especially when it feels like evil is winning.

Jesus knew we would experience that burden, so He invited us to come and learn from Him, to find rest for our souls (Matthew 11:28-29).

Let’s take Him at His word and do just that.

When weariness sets in, let’s look in, look out and look up!

1. Look in and ask: What do I feel?

“Jesus wept” (John 11:35, ESV). These two words from Scripture carry deep meaning. Arriving at the scene where His friend Lazarus had died days before, Jesus was deeply moved by grief. He knew how the story would end (spoiler alert: He raised Lazarus back to life), and yet He still felt. If it was important for Jesus to acknowledge His feelings, surely it’s important for us too.

2. Look out and ask: What am I focusing on?

It can be hard to understand why, in His sovereignty, God allows people to act in ways opposite to His heart. While I don’t claim to know the answer, I do know the promise of Romans 8:28 that “God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (NLT). Everything. Even this, whatever it may be. So instead of focusing on the problem, we can choose to focus on the potential of what God will do through it.

3. Look up and ask: What should I do about it?

In Isaiah 6:8, we read, “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ Then I said, ‘Here I am! Send me.’” Is this our attitude? You see, we can fret over all that’s wrong … or allow our feelings and newfound perspective to drive us straight to God, asking what we can do to help make it right. This won’t solve all the world’s problems, but partnering with God allows that heaviness in our souls to shift to a sense of empowerment.

We can reflect God’s Kingdom here on earth and make our corner of the world a better place, one step of faith at a time. And as we each do our part, collectively, we can change the world.

Father, thank You that I’m not left helpless when life feels heavy. Give me the courage to partner with You and to make this world a better place. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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FOR DEEPER STUDY

Hebrews 4:13, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable” (NLT).

Isaiah 55:8, “‘My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,’ says the LORD. ‘And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine’” (NLT).

Regardless of how it may seem at times, God is never absent, and nothing gets past Him. He sees and cares about it all and is actively at work on your behalf at this very moment. How does that change your perspective about the troubles you face today? We invite you to share about it in the comments.

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