You are growing something in your life. Something is getting bigger and multiplying … what is it? There’s more and more growing here. Are you growing more tired? Are you growing more stressed? Are you growing more anxious? Are you growing more negative? Just like a crop in a field, you’re growing something. Ya know, if you want to change the crop you’re harvesting, you gotta change the seeds you’re planting.

Several years ago I was on about mile 20 of a marathon in Joplin, MO and we passed a church that was holding their worship service outside. Members of their congregation were holding signs to cheer on the runners. As I ran by, one sign caught my eye and it said “you will run and not grow weary.” I burst out in tears.

Because you see, I was tired. My legs felt like they couldn’t keep going.
Now, trying to run when you’re exhausted, hot, sweaty, and emotional … whew, that equals hyperventilation. Not a combination I recommend. But it’s exactly what I needed.

You see, I FELT weary. That was my truth. I felt it for sure. But I didn’t have to GROW WEARY. I didn’t have to let that tiredness seep into my mind and my soul.

Maybe you feel weary too. This playing teacher gig in your house is not going well. Working from home is sucking the life out of you. You’re sick and tired of feeling sick and tired. You’ve done all you can do and you simply seem to come up short. You know there’s gotta be more to life, but dang you’re worn out from trying to find it.

You’re weary from the battle, weary from the journey, weary of the routine, weary of your new normal. What’s a girl to do when she feels weary?

Answer – stop paying so much attention to how you FEEL.

Those feelings will get you in trouble. Your feelings will talk you out of doing the very things you know you need to do. Your feelings will seep into your every thought and then right into your spirit and guess what, then you will GROW weary. You don’t want to grow that.

Imagine a crop growing in a field, multiplying and producing. Are you a worry farmer? Are you a sadness farmer? Are you a “worst case scenario” farmer? Are you a “tired and exhausted” farmer? You’re growing that! That means it will multiply in your life. If you’re growing weary, before you know it you won’t feel like doing a darn thing. Now that’s a dangerous place to be.

So, you may feel weary, but you don’t GROW weary.

Isaiah 40:31 – “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.”

This is the offering for you today if you will place your hope in the Lord. Now, what does that actually mean? I think of it as simply allowing God to guide my life. He is my GPS. I trust he will show me where to go. He will reroute me, which means he will allow problems to pop up in my path. Delays and detours are a divine part of my destiny. Through it all, I will not lose hope that he’s guiding me somewhere good and there’s a greater purpose in it all. And, I won’t give up. I will keep trying and not lose hope.

Now, let me point out this scripture says you will run and not grow weary. YOU WILL RUN. This means you still gotta show up. You still have work to do. God’s not gonna run for you. You still have running to do. You have things you need to be doing. What are those things you need to do today? No one else is going to show up and do it for you. Run your own race. You. And as you show up and do what you need to do and refuse to give in to all the feelings that tell you you’re too tired and too busy, God will protect you from growing weary. Laying in bed you grow weary. THINKING about what needs to be done you grow weary. Taking action actually feels pretty darn good!

Those who hope in the Lord will RENEW their strength. Renew it. You know what that means? That means they will use it all up first. First they use the strength they have, then God will renew it. If you don’t use it, how’s God gonna renew it? You’re trying to show up and live this day of life on 5 day old strength that you never used when you were supposed to in the first place. If you will use all the strength you have today to live as well as you possibly can, God will renew your strength. You will run and not grow weary.

Put your hope in God by letting him guide you.
Use up all the strength and energy you have today, trusting tomorrow you will receive a fresh new supply, but first you have to be faithful in doing the best you can with what you have today.
Be aware of what you’re growing. Your feelings can get you in trouble. Just because you feel it, doesn’t mean it needs to seep into your mind and soul and multiply.

What will you grow today? Will you grow stronger? Will you grow hope? Will you grow faith? Will you grow happiness? That’s a crop you can be proud of! Yes, grow that!