Run and not be weary with God

I love this time of year! Not only do we get the opportunity to remember deeply the amazing gift of salvation given to us through the advent of Christ, but we also enter into a New Year. There is always something exciting about the idea of a fresh start. For many of us this is a season to take account of the past twelve months and look forward to what the next year holds.

This looking forward is often accompanied by identifying New Year’s resolutions. As one year comes to an end and another begins, it can be a time to consider some things we might like to change in the New Year. While I’m sure your track record with these “resolutions” is better than my own, I have often witnessed these resolutions go by the wayside before January comes to a close.

I believe these “cut-short” resolutions are a symptom of our tendency to bring about change in our own strength. Instead of resting in God’s strength we run and run and run without allowing Him to restore us. If we want to run and not grow weary we need to be mindful of God’s word spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

Isaiah 40:28-31 ESV

In order for us to “soar on wings like eagles” this coming year, we must be intentional about our pursuit of God. As we trust Him more, we find our weariness subsides.

With this in mind, my prayer is not to try harder and do better, but rather to become more and more dependent on the one who never grows weary. That my life would be identified more with Him this New Year and less with me. In our own strength change is temporary, but in Him change is everlasting!

Happy New Year!

Kyle Bostock is pastor at North Summit Church, 201 N. Division Ave., Sandpoint. He can be reached at 208-263-4818.