To the one who is exhausted from trying to keep it all together and make sure everything gets done – I see you. I know that look in your eyes because I have been there too. Take a moment and breathe. You were never meant to do it all. Surrender your tasks over to God and let him help you carry them. Take some time to rest, it is crucial. If needed ask for help. That isn’t a sign of weakness. Don’t forget just how strong you are. Even God took a day to rest.
To the one whose finances are stretched so thin that it is almost suffocating – I feel you. I have been there too. Keep working hard and doing the best you can with what you have. Your identity does not come from what you own no matter how much the world will try to convince you of this. If you believe in God, you are a child of the king. Keep pressing on.
To the one who has hit that wall of burnout – I can tell you from experience burnout is a real thing. You keep going and pushing yourself to a point of exhaustion. Because you choose to just keep going, you are just going through the motions with no passion or zeal. Somehow in all the busyness, you lost that spark that helped ignite that energy that propelled you in motion to be active in what drives you. It gets hard but you must choose to step back and take time and just be still. Take a break. Nurture your body physically and spiritually.
To one who has strayed from God or just doesn’t feel as close to him – I understand. I have been there several times. I feel like it is just a part of our Christian journey. There have been times when it was my poor decisions that led me to feel so distant, but then other times when I never could figure out why I felt the way I did. I just learned to keep seeking him in prayer and reading the Bible even when I didn’t feel like it. No matter what, just keep moving forward in pursuing God. I promise you; He is not the one who has moved. He is still there.
To the one who is facing some major life changes and you may be drowning in the fear of the unknown – I can relate to you. I am sure my situations are different than yours, but I have had moments in my life where the future was so uncertain that fear had paralyzed me. It is scary. It can feel very isolating. But God. He has a plan for each of us. He isn’t surprised by what happens to our lives. Trust him with it all. Completely. Take it one day at a time if you must. Don’t give in to the fear.
To the one who has prayed relentlessly for certain things, yet they seem to go unanswered – I encourage you to just keep praying. It is hard to keep lifting up the same prayers when we feel like they are not being heard, but they are. Even if we cannot see the evidence, he is always at work behind the scenes. He doesn’t work on our sense of time. I believe in the goodness of God and I know, in his timing, things will work out according to his will. His plans > our plans. Do not underestimate the power of prayer.
To the one stuck who feels stuck in a waiting season – I get it, it is hard. Being patient has never been one of my strong traits. I want to remind you that God has not forgotten your story. You see those around you who seem to be moving forward with life and you feel like you aren’t making any progress, you are just left behind. May I encourage you to just keep putting one foot in front of the other. Turn your focus on your life, and do not get caught up in the lives of others. Stop comparing. Believe better days are coming. Do not give up hope. God loves you. His plan is already in motion in your life, so while you wait, learn to be joyful in your present circumstances.
To the one in a season of loneliness – God is there with you. I pray you feel his presence and his comfort. I pray he will send the right people into your lives at the moment you need them. Please know you are not alone. Reach out to someone if you need to. You probably have more people in your life that care about you than you realize. Isolation and loneliness are two of our enemy’s greatest weapons. He knows we are an easy target when we feel alone.
To the one who feels like they have no purpose – I think we all struggle with this feeling. If you are alive and breathing, you have a purpose being here on this earth. God is not done with you. There is always something we can do in our lives to give him glory. Loving others. Helping others. Encouraging others. It may seem like mundane work to you, but to his kingdom it is very important work. That is why we are here to tell people about Jesus! Remember God is in the small deeds just as much as he is in the big deeds.
To the one struggling with their self-worth or body image – listen to me, this is one of the biggest ways the enemy used to distract me from doing what God wanted me to do. He loves to whisper those lies of being too fat, too thin, too tall, too short, too shy, too talkative…..the list could be a mile long, so fill in the blank with whatever your struggle is. Embrace who you are in Christ. You were created in God’s image. He doesn’t make junk. Learn to love the one looking back at you in the mirror. God does.
Just know you are not alone. I believe in you. God believes in you. Don’t let the hard days overshadow the good ones. We all have things we are struggling with. We are all carrying around burdens. I think if we could see the mental loads, we each are hauling around, we would have a different perspective on how we treat those we encounter. We need to lean on each other and help encourage one another. And no matter what, keep moving forward!
Hayley W
Unpolished & Imperfect 