“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” - Isaiah 40:31
I’ll start this with a personal story. Tuesdays are my least favorite of all the days in my work week. Professionally, I have back to back meetings starting at 7:30 am going into the early afternoon, which means I’m not productive and often feel emotionally depleted. By the end of the day, my energy, attitude, and motivation are shot, and I often feel anxious, desperately seeking escape. I feel the tug to turn on the tv, tune out with social media, or sleep. What’s sad is, my first instinct is almost NEVER to just spent time with God. Even after all the countless times that Jesus has lifted my burdens and stress because of our time together, sometimes (okay, a lot of the time) I still have to kickstart myself to meet Him. However, it’s not by chance that I often turn to things that won’t satisfy my thirst for completion or solace. It’s Satan’s strategic deception.
The Devil doesn’t want us to remember how much peace God gives us when we spent time with Him. Satan tells us we don’t have the time to spend with God. We have to do ALL THE THINGS for ALL THE PEOPLE and we can always have quiet time when we find the time. When we’re upset or stressed, he tells us that we’ll feel better by scrolling social media, drinking a glass of wine or getting on another Netflix binge; anything that could keep us from spending time with the Lord and receiving the peace that He freely gives.
We have to make the conscious decision every day, especially on the days when our confidence, energy, and faith are lacking, to put our hope in the Lord and make the space for Him to work in our hearts. Just as God blesses us with wisdom and guidance when we Ask Him First, He fills us with peace and a renewed spirit when we Seek Him First.