day 125: More Strength Needed

I am convinced that now more than ever, at least in in my work life, that the stress and strain of our jobs is wearing us down. In the times we are in we are being asked to do more with less, we are watching our peers lose their jobs or we are losing our own jobs. If we have a job we worry about the security of it going forward and we now have to consider that our employer, in order to keep our role in the company, may ask us to take a pay cut. These are stressful and painful times. But through it all we are expected to get up and at it each and every day with a positive attitude and accomplishing motivation. It is not easy and we can see the signs of stress in our co-workers and ourselves. There is not as much laughter at the lunch table nor willingness to spend more time together outside of work. The fun that was once part of the job has seemed to dissipate and the level of consternation and short-fused temperaments is way up. If this doesn't wear us down nothing can. However, we can't let it. God expects us to lean on Him to bring us through this time and to do so in a way that we continue to be a lighthouse of refuge for others. We are to be the ones who can surf on top of the waves in the storm and continue to be encouragers and the most optimistic and positive people in the office. How do we do that when we ourselves are tired, stressed and run down? One of my favorite Bible passages is in Isaiah Chapter 40, verse 31 that says; "But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint." What a tremendous promise that God gives us. In these troubled times we should not feel that we must push through and hustle through the day alone. God says, "Wait", and He will bring us the strength we need to not only walk through the day, but to run and to fly! I like to talk to groups about how we are supposed to bring God to work with us not leave him at home. This verse always gives me the image that waiting on the Lord at work, would be like going through the front door of the office in the morning and instead of opening the door and barging through and expecting God to follow, that we would instead, pause, wait on Him and open the door for God to go through first. We then can follow.

Reference: Isaiah 40:31 (New Living Testament).

day 124: Bone Tired

There is something about the daily slugging and grinding it out at work that just wears us down. My wife uses the saying sometimes that she is just "bone tired". I don't know where that comes from or really what it means, but I know the feeling when I am tired right down to the bone. Sometimes the end of the day or the end of the week can feel like we are barely pulling ourselves together enough to make it home and we collapse across the threshold looking for a few hours to not think about what is on our minds and to collect ourselves before we have to get up and go at it again tomorrow. The mental strain of working can take its toll on our physical well-being and we can find ourselves showing the signs of stress, fatigue and pressure. It is a vicious cycle and when all the human approaches like vacation, delagation, etc. are as exhausted as we are, we have to reach to a stronger force to get us through the next day or the rest of the week. Before we even get to that point we need to rejuvenate in the promises that God has given us. If there is anyone who knows the humanness of what we can and cannot bear it is Jesus. In Isaiah the prophet gives us hope and strength while still being open about the human condition. Isaiah 40:29-30 says, "He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; he offers strength to the weak. Even youths will become exhausted and young men will give up." Because we are human we have frailty and can be beaten down but God says first in this passage, that it is He that gives power to those who are "bone tired" and He will offer strength to those who are or become weak. Now is the time to latch onto those promises. He knows how the work we do can take it all out of us. He needs us to be strong to bring Him glory in our purpose, so we can count on him to power us back up in our time of need. So, go to Him today for a battery charge and don't be afraid to ask. He knows you are tired and He wants to help. Just take the initiative to reach to Him and then know that you can live out His promise of power and strength today, tomorrow and ongoing.

Reference: Isaiah 40:29-30 (New Living Testament)