Dericka Canada Cunningham, GBW Founder
July 15, 2024
This Week's Anchor
“Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
Isaiah 40:30-31 (NIV)
Have you ever reached a point (or multiple moments) in your life where you were so tired from carrying the weight of the world that the only option was to hand everything over to God? I know I sure have—those moments when I feel drained from attempting to heal and evolve (and encouraging others to do the same); tired from digging deep to find hope in hopeless spaces; depleted from being the “bigger”, understanding, relationship-restoring person; and burnt out from parenting and holding down the fort at home. Sometimes what we have going on within ourselves is further taxed by what’s happening around us in the world. It certainly feels this way now. As we continue navigating a chaotic social and political climate, I find myself questioning if things are real, and thinking, “This seems nothing like the world God intended”. It’s difficult to be hopeful in our humanity considering where things are, and wading through both our external and internal worlds can be overwhelmingly exhausting. Maybe others are here too. For those of us who find ourselves in this season of weariness, this week’s anchor scripture validates and encourages us.
Our scripture this week comes from the book of Isaiah. It’s nestled in a chapter created to give comfort to God’s people. If we break down these two verses, there are three points of encouragement for our seasons of exhaustion:
1. “Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;”—Becoming exhausted and tired is a part of being human. Even the most unlikely (i.e., the young) will grow weary. As opposed to fighting or being in denial of this reality, we can accept it, acknowledging the weakness of our flesh and recognizing our dependency on the Holy Trinity for sustenance.
2. “…but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.”—Despite the reality of our overwhelming world and fatigued minds and bodies, we have the gift of the Holy Trinity to renew our spirit. When we approach God and hand over the people, things, and experiences in our lives that discourage and drain us, we can walk away with hope, peace, and restoration.
3. “They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”—Our ability to persevere doesn’t come from our(fleshly)selves, it comes from our relationship with the Holy Trinity. When connected to the Source, we can move through an exhaustion-inducing world and still have supernatural strength, courage, and vitality.
The message this week is simple because our God is extraordinary enough to ground us through any and everything we will ever encounter. As we enter this week, let us humbly and courageously release our worries and burdens to God, having faith that we will gain hope and restoration in return. Let Go of our troubles. Let God have control of and over our lives. And Let In God’s overwhelming peace and joy.
Reflection
What is resonating for you about this scripture and/or this devotion?
What person, place, thing, feelings, and/or experiences in your life do you need to release to God?
What intention(s) do you want to set to connect and/or reconnect with being grounded this week?
Related Scriptures to Ground You Through this Week
Job 11:13-20
Jeremiah 29:11
Ephesians 6:10-18
Philippians 2
Philippians 4:6
1 Peter 5:7
My Through-the-Week Reflection Guide
A Song of Inspiration
Quote of Love & Liberation
“Your willingness to look at your darkness is what empowers you to change.”
Iyanla Vanzant
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