A Weary World Rejoices

Are you tired? I’m tired. And it’s a tired that can’t be fixed with sleep. A tired that seeps, not just into my bones, but into the depths of my heart and the recesses of my soul. According to holiday ads and songs playing on the radio, it’s a joyful time of year. But, at a time when we’re supposed to be singing “it’s the most wonderful time of the year”, couples are struggling to make ends meet financially as they fit as many hours of work into each day that they can. Someone is sitting in the doctor’s office receiving news that will turn their world upside down. And tears are falling down people’s faces as they say goodbye to someone they can’t imagine living without. In fact, it seems almost more common to see a post on social media about the passing of a loved one around the holidays than at any other time of year.

I’ve seen so many posts in the past few weeks from friends saying they’ve lost someone they love. Posts from friends admitting they’re struggling with anxiety. Posts from nurses struggling daily with watching their patients fight for their lives only to lose the battle. Posts from parents learning their young child has cancer. Posts from friends fighting medical mysteries and searching for answers that continue to be elusive. Posts from missionaries in third world countries risking their personal safety to minister to the people around them and spread the gospel.

When I look around me, I see physical pain. Emotional pain. Weariness. A weariness that weighs heavy on our shoulders, casting a shadow on the most wonderful time of the year. And as I look at the pain around me and read the brokenhearted posts, a carol starts to play in my mind. And with it a glimmer of hope begins to bloom, bringing a warmth that starts to penetrate those cold, dark, weary halls in my heart and soul.

“O holy night, the stars are brightly shining.

It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth.

Long lay the world in sin and error pining

Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth.

A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices.

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.”

Weariness isn’t new. It came with the fall of man. It came with sin. And there is only one answer to sin. It was prophesied in Isaiah 9:6 and something we celebrate at this time each year.

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

This baby boy was born to die for you and me. Born to break the curse of sin and death. Born to bring a cure for our weariness. Matthew 11:28-30 says, “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” Come to Me all who are heavy laden…all who are weary. Find rest in Me. Find hope in Me. We were never meant to walk through this weary world alone. Throughout scripture, we see a pattern of God’s people finding rest and strength in Him.

Psalm 73:26 – “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

Psalm 18:1 – “I love you, O LORD, my strength.”

Psalm 18:31-32 – “For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God?—the God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless.”

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 – “But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Isaiah 40:29-31 – “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might He increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; 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.”

Isaiah 40:31 is quoted so often. You see it everywhere, from beautiful social media posts and coffee mugs to decorative pillows. Verse 28, though, stands out to me and I wish it was included on a couple pillows.

“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; His understanding is unsearchable.”

To the hurting and weary soul, those words are a salve of sweet promise. I may faint. I may grow weary. Everything happening in and around my life may be chaotic and difficult to understand. And it may bring me to my knees with its weight. But my God is unfazed. He will not buckle under the weight. He will not grow tired. He is LORD. When you see “LORD” capitalized like that, it means He is being called by His name, Yahweh, or I AM. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end (Revelation 22:13). He is “the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

He is the One we celebrate at Christmas. He didn’t just bring hope that day, He was hope. He is hope. This hope begins with the promise of love, forgiveness, mercy, and grace for the wandering sinner in need of a Savior and extends to the child of God who is simply weary. The child of God feeling discouraged by everything happening in the world. He is the hope for a rest that doesn’t rely on life passing by smoothly. He is the hope for a peace that passes all understanding. He is the hope that this life is not all there is. There is a day coming when He will wipe all tears from our eyes. A day when He will make all things new. A day when there will be no more pain. Just the fullness of joy that can only be found in His presence.

And so we can sing songs like “Joy to the World” and “All is Well” because, while it may not feel like the most wonderful time of the year, it is a time that reminds us that a wonderful time is coming. Eternity is coming.

Luke 2:10-11 – “And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.’”

Revelation 21:4-5 – “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. And He who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’”

Psalm 16:11 – “You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

Matthew 4:16 – “The people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.”