The two words that we all want to hear.

Have you been through the wringer and been left spiritually dry?

Has the chaos of life drained you of all your emotional reserves?

Have you become immune to the amazing grace and undeserved mercy displayed at Calvary?

Have the awe of the Resurrection and the majesty of Christ faded away?

If so, you’re not alone. Me too. 🙋‍♀️

Isn’t it fascinating how God wired the minds and hearts of His creation? As humans, we crave the assurance that we are not alone. We desperately need to know that experiencing spiritual fatigue, facing an uncertain future, struggling with loneliness, battling anxiety/depression, repairing a marriage, or fill-in-the-blank is not new. It’s the one area (that I can think of) in which our prideful selves don’t want to be “special” or “unique.”

We ache to hear, “Really? Me too!” when sharing our heart with a friend (or stranger).

Me Too—words that are like a balm to an aching heart and calming to an anxious mind. Upon hearing, we subconsciously exhale the proverbially breath we’ve been holding.

We are sociable creatures by nature.

1. We seek out companionship. We don’t have to be told—it’s instinct.
2. We gravitate toward likeminded people. Especially those that we jokingly tell, “Get out of my head!” when they come creepily close to verbalizing our exact thoughts.
3. We draw comfort from those to whom we can relate. Even if we didn’t realize we were seeking a compatible soul.

And yet, even when we’ve achieved 3/3, we sometimes leave an important piece out.

Jesus.

Dear friends, everything we seek in the fragile nature of a human relationship is found in our precious Redeemer and Savior. And with Jesus, there is no ‘almost’ or ‘halfway’. In Him, everything we seek is met in full. In fact, it often exceeds expectations (Eph. 3:20).

The part that trips me up is the “faith without sight” (Heb. 11). I assume that a person I can see and touch can offer better comfort than Jesus, whom I can’t see. It’s a logical assumption. But it’s a wrong assumption.

The enemy likes to strike when our defenses are down (read: emotionally exhausted and spiritually bare). Scripture says, “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). I all too often stupidly position myself for a perfect shot. Like any seasoned player, the enemy knows my weak areas and he attacks me there. My emotions betray me and my thoughts deceive me. Cheap shot on his part but it works more often than I care to admit. He steers my attention away from Christ and directs it toward a seemingly harmless alternative—my inner circle.

Hear me out—inner circles are a great source of comfort and love and there’s nothing sinful about that. God gives them to us for a reason. Jesus even had an inner circle. The problem comes when I turn to them first instead of turning first to God in prayer. Just as Jesus left his inner circle to go into the garden to pray, so should I.

With my affections divided and attention diverted, Satan has me where he wants me. And where he wants me is NOT where I want to be. No where close. But while my spirit may be willing, my flesh is weak. And I fail. Often. Repeatedly.

With my affections divided and attention diverted, Satan has me where he wants me. And where he wants me is NOT where I want to be. No where close. But while my spirit may be willing, my flesh is weak. And I fail. Often. Repeatedly.

But there’s good news: in Christ, we are forgiven. We can get up, dust off our knees, and start anew. Praise!

And more good news: We have a High Priest who can sympathize with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4). His name is Jesus.

Quick refresher:

– Jesus endured excruciating anguish, to the point of sweating blood (raise your hand if you’ve ever done that. No? Me neither.).

– Jesus tasted the bitter betrayal of an intimate friend (Judas…and with a kiss no less!).

– Jesus felt extreme hunger and intense thirst.

– Jesus bore the ultimate rejection and constant ridicule by His own people.

– Jesus suffered unimaginable, unrelenting pain. Pain that led to death.

– Jesus came face to face with complete and utter aloneness, separated from His Father for the first time in all eternity.

Because of our sin. Yet He was without sin.

Wow. Let that sink in.

After a time of being spiritually numb, this truth rocked me. I can feel again! (If you’ve ever been spiritually numb, you get what I’m saying).

With the revival of my spirit followed a flood of tears and emotions—Remorse. Guilt. Shame. Unworthiness. Love. Thankfulness. Awe.

The gift of salvation is too much for me to comprehend. The immeasurable love, the boundless mercy, the inexhaustible grace…it overwhelms me. 

Right now, I’m in a season of uncertainty and I hate it! The path behind me is riddled with heartache and goodbyes. The path before me is filled with more question marks and commas than periods. But there is one question mark that was answered once and for all 2000 years ago on that fateful third day. It involved an empty tomb and a risen Savior. Jesus is alive and He conquered sin and death. And THAT is CERTAIN!

My prayer is that the power of the cross and the resurrection never stop taking our breath away.

For believers, the same power that tore the veil, rolled the stone, and defeated the devil is the same power within each of us thru the Holy Spirit.

Friends, I share this with you not as “new” news, but rather a reminder for those of us who are weary and worn down. The only thing that will revive a tired soul and refill an empty reservoir is Jesus. Only Jesus. Especially when He’s the last thing you think you need. Ask me how I know.

The only thing that will revive a tired soul and refill an empty reservoir is Jesus. Only Jesus. Especially when He’s the last thing you think you need.

Fix your eyes on the Cross. His will was perfect at Calvary and His will is perfect for you. For me.

Because He loves us.

Tell Jesus your sorrows. He was the man of sorrows. He gets you. He understands. And He can actually do something about it. ♥️