Jeremiah 6:16 Devotional for a Weary Heart

Rest for a Midyear-Weary Heart
Your Nightly Prayer
by Amanda Idleman

TONIGHT’S SCRIPTURE

This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ -Jeremiah 6:16

SOMETHING TO PONDER

Do you ever have those mornings in which you wake up after a long sleep still exhausted? It’s as though you're so tired that one night's rest is not enough for your body to recover. This also happens to our minds, bodies, and souls. We can grow so weary; we need a true season of restoration for us to find our way back to the work God is calling us to do. The need for rest is not a sign of failure or defeat; embracing rest is an indication of spiritual obedience. God began the world modeling a rhythm of rest even before sin entered the human story. On the seventh day of Creation, God rested. Rest is holy, it’s a part of God’s perfect design, and it’s something we are commanded to do regularly by our Creator.

Pride leads us to believe that we can keep going, pushing, giving, and there won’t be a consequence for this disobedience. The reality is, if we don’t slow down, we will be forced to stop because our bodies will give out. The balls we are juggling will start falling. We can’t do it all, all the time. Rest is a holy commandment and necessary if we want to serve God and others well. How can you embrace rest right in this season? What can you let go of? Whose help do you need to slow down and recover? Ask God to reveal how his holy rest can restore your life.

YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER

Father,
Forgive me for not honoring your holy commandment to rest. My soul is weary, my burden is heavy. I need you to show me how to slow down and embrace a season of true restoration. Show me how to regularly rest, recover, and be obedient to your command to honor our need for rest.
Amen.

THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON

How can I better honor my need for rest?
How has pride gotten in the way of your being obedient to God’s call to rest?
Consider what habits you need to change in order to make rest a part of your routine.

Reflect on tonight’s prayer and share how God met you there. Join the Your Nightly Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.

Amanda Idleman is a writer whose passion is encouraging others to live joyfully. She writes devotions for Your Nightly Prayer, Crosswalk Couples Devotional, Your Daily Prayer, and more. She has work published with Her View from Home, on the MOPS Blog, and is a regular contributor for Crosswalk.com, Biblestudytools.com, and Christianity.com. She has most recently published a devotional, Comfort: A 30 Day Devotional Exploring God's Heart of Love for Mommas, alongside her husband’s companion devotional, Shepherd. You can find out more about Amanda on her Facebook Page or follow her on Instagram.

For the one who is weary without answers. If you’re still showing up and still praying — but starting to wonder if it’s working — this 90-day devotional will meet you right there, with honesty and Scripture in place of easy answers.