Words of Hope for Your Weary Soul

It was bound to happen sooner or later. My string of sickness-free years had to come to a close eventually. But who knew it would end with three different bugs in the space of a single month?

Not me, that’s for sure.

I spent a good portion of the last week coughing and sputtering and wondering how a fever that barely registers on the thermometer can make a person feel so lousy. Parts of my normal routine that are important to my mental health—reading the Bible, running on the treadmill, showering every day—often got put on hold, which certainly didn’t make me feel any better as the week wore on.

Thankfully, the fog in my brain and body has largely lifted. The fever (slight as it was) is gone, the coughs are fewer and farther between, and the people in my house who were deathly afraid of catching the plague have (hopefully) realized that the danger has passed.

I didn’t write much while I was sick. So a few days ago, I spent some time scrolling through my Tweets and Instagram posts from the past year, looking for a few words of hope, comfort and encouragement that I could share with you this week.

Not surprisingly, the best words I found were not my own.

A few holy invitations:

• “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

• “Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, the sheep under His care.” (Psalm 95:6-7)

A few desperate prayers:

• “I call to You for help, Lord; in the morning, my prayer meets you.” (Psalm 88:13)

• “Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you.” (Psalm 143:8)

• “God, hear my cry; pay attention to my prayer. I call to You from the ends of the earth when my heart is without strength. Lead me to a rock that is high above me, for You have been a refuge for me, a strong tower in the face of the enemy.” (Psalm 61:1-3)

• “If I say, ‘My foot is slipping,’ your faithful love will support me, Lord. When I am filled with care, your comfort brings me joy.” (Psalm 94:18-19)

A few thoughts about God’s restorative presence:

• “He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul.” (Psalm 23:2b-3a)

• “God, Your faithful love is so valuable that people take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. They are filled from the abundance of Your house; You let them drink from Your refreshing stream, for with You is life’s fountain. In Your light we will see light.” (Psalm 36:7-9)

And finally, a few statements of well-placed faith:

• “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (Exodus 14:14)

• “The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.” (Psalm 46:7)

• “God is my helper; the Lord is the sustainer of my life.” (Psalm 54:4)

♥ Lois

P.S. I’m linking up this week with Purposeful Faith, #TellHisStory, Coffee for Your Heart, Chasing Community, Faith on Fire, Faith ‘n Friends and Grace & Truth.