New Life and Energy

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 New Life and Energy   
A Devotional by Margot Cioccio

Jeremiah 31:25 (CEV)
Those who feel tired and worn
out will find new life and energy,
26 and when they sleep,
they will wake up refreshed.

It seemed like I was sick most of this past winter. Three to four trips into the doctor that helped a little but the thing lingered on. I finally heard one of the doctors say - “try to get more rest. Go to bed an hour earlier. Try to take a nap during the day. See if you can cut back on some of the things you are involved in”. It was very hard for me. I was tired enough of not feeling well that I decided to try what had been suggested. It was hard for me to pull back and be intentionally not busy. So I rested and spent more quiet time with the Lord and it worked. I like this verse because I was not sleeping well at night and I would wake up tired to start my day tired.  I know what tired and worn out feels like and it seemed like there was no end in sight. Maybe you are feeling tired and a worn out too. The promise of waking refreshed in this verse gave me hope - it should give you hope as well.   

Psalms 62:5-8 says  Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; 

my hope comes from him.
6 He alone is my rock and my salvation; 

he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
7 My salvation and my honor depend on God 

he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
8 Trust in him at all times, O people; 

pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.  Selah

While I was sick I was spending time with the Lord in the mornings and I think that helped me to have the energy to keep going but I needed to find a balance that allowed me to get well not just keep going.

I knew I was in trouble because I was not getting well. I knew I needed to make some changes.  I needed to re prioritize and decide what things I could take a step back from. I had to stop taking on new things and cut out some of what I was doing. I tried not to just fill my resting time with mindless entertainment but rather to spend it doing things that would feed my spirit. Things like listening to music that was up-lifting and reading books that would strengthen me. I spent more time in the Word and more time writing.

We can be so busy that we push aside those things that help re-charge our batteries. Also during that time the Lord helped me to work through some painful things from the past that had been very suppressed. I think in slowing down, God was able to get my attention and help me deal with the past as well as help me set some boundaries in my life. He helped me to remember that it is not because I am busy serving him that I am loved and valuable to him. I am his and he loves me just as much when I am resting.

If you are feeling tired and worn out maybe its time to rest in him and allow him to help you with some of the things you have been avoiding dealing with by being too busy. Learning to rest in Him is a wonderful thing and I can’t say I’m an expert at this point but I have seen the benefits of resting and I now have new life and energy.
Things to Ponder:
What things am I doing that perhaps don’t really need to be done?
Where can I make more time to be resting before the Lord?
What are some of the things that feed my spirit?
Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Help me to enter into your rest. Help me to re-priortize my life in a way that is pleasing to you. Help me fill up on things that will truly strengthen and refresh me. Thank you for the promise of Jeremiah 31:25 fill me with new life and energy and let me wake refreshed and hungry for your presence.