A Weary World Rejoices

Weary fit into my 2019, how about yours? It wasn’t all weary for me, there was plenty of joy to be had, deep belly laughs and a whole slew of memories made but with Dad’s major open heart surgery, a younger sisters delivery of a beautiful little girl who had a bumpy start to her first two weeks of life, navigating family hardships and disappointments and juggling all the rest of life, it is no wonder I felt weariness heavy laden on my days.

It’s typical for me to look at others in my life and draw strength from them. People can seem so invincible especially when you are feeling weary but when you suddenly start seeing those ones in a weary state of their own, it can have a profound effect if you let it, on your ability to cope and withstand. I’m reminded once again, “I lift my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” - Psalm 121:1-2. Seeing my dad post surgery left me reeling and battling the realization of how little control I actually have in life and how not invincible my dad actually is. Seeing him lay helpless and weary, intubated and with what seemed like a million different plastic tubes coming out of and going into every place they could left me weary, depleted but yet rejoicingly hungry to cling closer to the One I know holds all things in His hands.

It also became clear to me recently that even the fun, exhilarating events, activities and adventures of life can leave us weary too. We can be all wrapped up in social scenes, sports, party planning, outings, renovations and yet be left utterly weary from it all. It wasn’t to say we didn’t enjoy ourselves or have fun in those things but they still deplete us of our energy and resources and that’s why healthy boundaries and the word “NO” are actually vital to our well being. Weary is a state we find ourselves in all too often.

As I’m slowly stumbling out Christmas and all it’s wonderful bliss and activity, a one liner stood out to me through it all... “A weary world rejoices.” We are a weary world, weary from commitments, our jobs leave us weary, exuberant amounts of activity and involvement deplete us, sadness and brokenness in our close circles leave our tanks feeling empty, helping others around us comes with great reward but again can leave us weary, even common illnesses of the season, we are left weary. But in that one phrase, “A weary world rejoices”, weary is paired with the marvellous word rejoice. Rejoice??? Really, while we are weary? Yes, because that single phrase speaks of hope, it hollers hope. We can rejoice in our weariness because weary is only how we are feeling, it doesn’t depict who I actually am as a person. I am only feeling weary in this season, this too shall either pass, improve or help strength and change me as a human for the better if I allow it. I rejoice because resilience is birthed from weary, strength is birthed from weary, weary opens the door for healing. I find rest in His peace for my weary soul.

The world is weary, it’s been weary a long time, really since just after its beginning and on one single day in history a weary world could rejoice because hope was birthed. Hope was delivered as the result of woman’s intense labour pains. A Royal Hope was born in the most least royal abode, a trough housed his tiny body, a body born to grow and be beaten and broken so that we can put weary and rejoice in the same sentence. His first home was anything but fit for royalty, it was left overs really, it was the result of a full Inn. It was dirty, smelly, noisy, I’m sure damp feeling, low lit and yet it was the place hope was delivered in, a weary world could rejoice.

This causes me to think of our homes. The world is weary. Our homes can serve others and our own as a place of hope, refuge and a place of security. A place where rejoicing can be felt and can be known. Are we inviting this kind of atmosphere into our homes? Are we welcoming others to step in and be embraced by it? I strive for my homestead to be a place of rejoicing for others, where they can come, take a load off, put their feet up and breathe sighs of relief and rejoice even if it’s only for a moment in their day. Where they can authentically see my weariness, where they know we don’t do life perfectly but it is hope filled. That we in our home are encouraging others in through our own weariness even if it’s simply in the fact that I do experience it. My great hope is that even in my weary season right now, that it is evident that I am rejoicing as I journey through, moving forward only. Oh that others would know and see the hope that I know.

I believe weariness is only temporal, it could stretch my entire life on this earth but it won’t stretch into my eternity because I rejoice in the hope I’ve come to know and depend on daily.

May you be able to rejoice in spite of your weary feeling season. May you know the hope that I have come to know and that causes me to rejoice in spite of. May your home be a place where someone is invited in and completely saturated with rejoicing. That hope wraps securely around them, cradling them while they are weary.