Overcoming Trials

7 Bible Verses for Weariness (Plus 5 Tips for Weary Days)

The snow blows past like a horizontal wall of white.  I stare at the thousands of tiny flakes like maybe this is heaven’s way of touching this muddy earth.  I’m running on fumes all over again this morning, and I open my Bible in search of a few Bible verses for weariness.

Maybe you can relate.

You might be weary from the demands of a career that is wearing you down, children who rely on you day and night, or something else.  Today, we’ll look at seven Bible verses for weariness and explore five tips for tired days.

I encourage you to soak in these truths and draw strength from the Lord.

7 Bible Verses for Weariness

1. Isaiah 40:31, ESV

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.

God is waiting to renew you.  Draw near to him.  Wait on him.  He will give you everything you need to make it through this day.

2. Jeremiah 31:25

For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish.

Your heavenly Father promises to satisfy you and replenish you.  Take a moment to close your eyes and imagine his arms holding you.  He wants to fill you afresh.

3. Matthew 11:28

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

God has not called you to a life of burnout.  Draw near to him.  He wants to carry your heavy burdens for you.

4. Psalm 73:26

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Our bodies grow weary and worn.  Meanwhile, God waits to fill us with strength.  He wants to be your portion today, friend.

Bible Verses for Weariness: Find Strength in God

5. Psalm 55:22

Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.

Notice that this verse tells us to cast our burdens on the Lord.  Some burdens don’t relent without a strong heave.  What do you need to cast onto God today?

6. Isaiah 41:10

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Are you weary because you have been worrying?  God wants to strengthen you and help you.  Lean into his love.

7. Psalm 63:1

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

David prayed this prayer to the Lord.  He longed for God.  When God is the highest longing in our lives, we will find him and be filled.

The Biblical Example of Weariness

The disciples knew about exhaustion, too.

Jesus often asked them to push beyond their limits.  They were called to minister with nothing but the clothes on their backs, to become great by being the greatest servants, to be fully given and poured out.

We catch up with the disciples in Mark’s sixth chapter, after the gruesome death of John the Baptist and after their no-doubt wearying mission of ministering from town to town with no extra food or clothing. They were worn and weary.

Seeing their exhaustion, Jesus spoke into the cure for overcoming exhaustion. It is the cure for our exhaustion today as well:

“Come away with me” (Mark 6:31 WE).

Jesus holds the cure for our weariness.

The cure for exhaustion is intimacy with Jesus.

When our bodies are exhausted, Jesus will call us to a quiet place to eat, sleep, and physically replenish. He will also call us to come away with him, to step away from the pace of our hurried lives and encounter his life-giving presence.

The trouble is, too often, we don’t associate time spent with Jesus as refreshment. We struggle to encounter Jesus in ways that fill us and bring life.

I’ve been wrestling with these issues lately.  However, amid the wrestling, I’m leaning into Truth which is changing me.

Here are five practical ways to apply these Bible verses for weariness and find strength:

Apply These Bible Verses for Weariness in Practical Ways

1. Get outside and rest with the Lord.

The natural world creates space to step away from everyday demands and see God’s fingerprints upon his created work. Time outside draws you away from your work and the house projects that are never complete.  Step beneath open skies for even a few minutes to bask in his goodness.  (Read here for 5 ways to make this happen and the scientific research on what happens when we step outside.)

2. Open to Psalms and read until you encounter Christ.

The Psalms are filled with laments from struggling believers, poetic reflections about God’s goodness, and descriptions of God’s character and love. Open your Bible with an open heart.  Ask the Lord to speak to you. Read until his living Word touches your heart and refills your soul.

3. Learn to rest and receive.

Find a quiet place to rest alone with the Lord. Get comfortable and spend a few minutes breathing slowly.  Ask the Lord to replenish you through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Focus on receiving his love.

4. Spend an afternoon doing something you love with Jesus.

Carve out a few hours to do something you really enjoy, even if it doesn’t seem particularly spiritual. Have lunch with a trusted friend.  Visit a local park.  Dust off your bike, or head to the couch with a good book.  Enjoy this activity with the awareness that God is with you.  He wants to replenish you.  Enjoy yourself.

5. Fan the flame of your flickering faith to help you in overcoming exhaustion.

We all face seasons when our on-fire faith feels like it has faded.  I have been here.  I recently put together a free ten-day devotional to help you shake things up.

Fan the Flame is my new free 10-day online devotional.  You will find dozens of practical ways to connect with God and breathe life into your faith. Click here, and I will send this devotional directly to your email inbox.

These two books are free on Kindle Unlimited or available to purchase in print:

God wants to work in your life to accomplish what you’ve been unable to do through willpower alone.  Lean Into Grace: Let God’s Grace Heal Your Heart, Refresh Your Soul, and Set You Free shares practical ways to experience God’s freedom, healing, power, and presence in your life.  Find this life-changing book for free on the Kindle Unlimited plan or for 12.99 in print right here.  This book will transform your life and revitalize your relationship with the Lord!

Calling all mothers and daughters!

Additionally, my 12-year-old daughter, Bekah, and I wrote a mother-daughter devotional book to help mothers and daughters grow closer together while connecting with God.  Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith includes 60 devotions with Scripture, commentaries from both of us, conversation starters, and even a shared journaling section.  Multitudes of mothers, daughters, mentors, and younger women are being transformed by this book!  You can find your free Kindle Unlimited eBook or buy it in print for just 11.99 right here.

 

I’m passionate about equipping others to encounter God in powerful and life-changing ways. When I’m not writing, you’ll find me hiking, jogging, exploring wild places with my three young children and husband, leading small groups, and mentoring younger women. A certified special education teacher, I am on leave from the classroom for a season of chasing frogs and playing in creeks with my little ones. Most of all, the compassionate love of Jesus has forever ravished my heart, and I'm emphatic about making his love known to the world.