Devotionals for the Heart: When you are weary and need to be restored

From Weary to Restored
A devotional by Casey Wayne

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

—Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)

I sat in my closet on a phone call, trying to prevent my children from interrupting.

Tears streaming down my face, and hardly able to speak, I shared with someone I am not very close with my most recent struggles. It awkwardly came out in what I often call “word vomit”. Her simple question led to an unfiltered response that I am confident she was not prepared for. It felt painful, but freeing at the same time.

Sharing what I had been trying to keep inside as I survived a mentally and physically difficult week just came pouring out. I felt bad, but I also felt so relieved to get it out. In the end, I was so thankful for her response. Maybe she thought it was awkward too. I would not blame her. However, she did not let that show. Without hesitation she stopped to pray with me. Right there on the phone. What a beautiful representation of Jesus Christ.

It begged the question: Why did I not stop to pray in the midst of my pain?

Somehow giving myself grace and understanding can be so much harder than giving it to others. Let's be honest, I don’t do well with asking for help. Maybe you can relate. The more troubling instinct is my hesitation to bring it to God, especially if I have already prayed about it once. As if our Heavenly Father does not want us to come to Him as many times as it takes—even if it takes 100 times seeking Him to find the restoration our souls need in that season of pain.

Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV) tells us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

That’s exactly what I needed in that moment. To release the anxiety and allow Jesus to replace my anxious thoughts with His peace “which surpasses all understanding”. I am so thankful to my fellow sister-in-Christ for stepping in that gap for me. Her grace, love and encouragement in that moment guided me through the process that I so desperately needed. She took my pain to my Heavenly Father in prayer.

Now I will not pretend that the fear and struggle disappears in an instant. This broken world still tries to knock us down. Some seasons take more time than others to return to a place where I can hopefully be that person for someone else. I want to be like Christ in a season of pain for someone else who is on their knees in tears. This is the awesome power of the body of Christ. We are to support each other and encourage each other without hesitation. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (ESV) says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

If you are in a season of struggle I pray that you can give yourself the grace to no longer pretend like everything is okay. Release it all to Jesus Christ, praying over and over, as many times as it takes. He is faithful, in His timing, to heal and restore the broken. If it is disturbing your peace then it is something Satan will try to use against you, so take a breath, and say a prayer. Reach out to another follower of Christ if needed, to help lift you up and pray when you feel too weak to try. God will meet you where you are. Trust Him. Seek Him. Never stop allowing Him into those spaces, so that He can use them for His glory.

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the grace and peace we have in Christ. As we willingly release our anxieties, You faithfully restore our hearts. I pray for the strength to remember in those moments of struggle to lift my eyes to You. As you comfort me, give me the strength and conviction to comfort others, sharing the love of Christ for Your glory. Speak peace into my heart today and every day as I lay my burdens at your feet.

In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Still” by Rend Collective. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Casey Wayne is a wife and mother of two children. 

She enjoys time with her family doing simple things like movie nights and cooking together.

As a devotional writer, Casey strives to share her story with relatable honesty, showing how God is faithful throughout the big and small moments of life.

She has a heart for encouraging the faith walk of other moms, praying they gain a deeper connection with our Heavenly Father.

Her family lives in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia.

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Connect with Casey:
Website: https://www.caseywayne.org/
Blog: https://peaceoffaith.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caseylwayne
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Peace.of.FaithCaseyWayne