FEATURE STORY
You know the familiar lyrics, “…the weary world rejoices,” from the familiar Christmas song Oh Holy Night. And that was indeed a weary world as the people awaited their Messiah, the Savior of the world. But you and I both know that the world is weary once again, oh so weary. And this time…what are we waiting for?
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According to a popular hit song a few years ago, we’re “waiting on the world to change.” And then others sing and remind us that it’s up to us to be the change. Because it’s oh so true. The world is indeed weary once again as we wait for answers, good things, and hope that’s disappearing like the setting sun.
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Perhaps you’re like I am, and you’re weary of the weight of politics, the rhetoric, the slander and the arguments. Maybe we’re all just a bit weary of the rate of homicide increasing in our cities, or the cost of food that still skyrockets, even though the fear of Covid is long gone. Or, is it? Many of us have suffered losses this year, ones we didn’t see coming, and ones that wrecked our faith and our hope. And then there are weary moms and dads, struggling to provide all the things for the kids. Those that are chronically ill are weary from the hopes they continually see dashed, even though hundreds of friends are praying.
photo courtesy of Doug Gephardt
I’m thinking it’s a pretty weary world out there, in here, and all around us. It shows up on the faces of us all as we frown more than we smile. That weariness is evident in the way we walk, with slumped shoulders that feel heavy as we plod along in this weary life on earth. It shows up in how we spend our days, working harder yet slipping backwards.
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But then there’s this echo from another refrain, one that’s sung all throughout the book of all songs…and it reminds us of this:
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Let us now become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9. It then reminds us that as we have opportunity, we are to do good to all people, especially our fellow believers.
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The writer of that chapter in the bible may have known that the people were feeling overwhelmed with responsibilities of the Christian life. And some of us carry responsibilities and place these same responsibilities on others that we were never intended to carry. What we’re supposed to not become weary in doing is the good – which is just yielding to Him as He produces fruit in us like love, joy and peace…and oh yes…patience.
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In other words, it’s His work in us to do His good pleasure, as we simply yield.
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Oh it’s exhausting, for sure, to work and give to others, spend our time and energy serving, especially if ingratitude is all we see. We wonder, “Is it worth it to serve Him?” Growing weary occurs often because we’re no longer yielding, but rather we’re striving.
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So how do we minimize weariness and find the ability to rejoice this Christmas season?
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We can schedule times of rest
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We can stop overcommitting and feeling guilty for not saying yes
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We can pour ourselves out in his presence, instead of burning ourselves out with our own presence
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We can come to Him and lay our burdens down
It’s a weary world out there, and we grow impatient as we wait for all the things we hope for and pray for. However, God is faithful. He was then, back when the ancient world was weary as they waited. And He’s faithful now, as this anxious world becomes weary as we pace.
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I read that one great cause of weariness is a deficiency of faith and an overabundance of reliance on self.
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Be of good cheer, this Christmas season. Jesus has overcome the world and all its weariness. And he offers us rest, when we’re heavy.
If our burden’s not light, then we’re carrying the weight of the world, which was never ours to carry. He carried it on his shoulders, he gave his life for all the weight of sin that surrounds us, and he lives to set us free so that we can rejoice in the truth of his Word. And you can be assured that the sun that sets today will rise again tomorrow.
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Fall on your knees!
Oh hear the angels’ voices!
Oh night divine!
Oh, night when Christ was born.