Hope for the One Who's Drained - Your Nightly Prayer - October 12th

Your Nightly Prayer

Audio By Carbonatix

By Sophia Bricker, Crosswalk.com

Your Nightly Prayer

Hope for the One Who’s Drained
Your Nightly Prayer
By Sophia Bricker

TONIGHT’S SCRIPTURE

"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak." - Isaiah 40:29

SOMETHING TO PONDER

Ever notice how quickly cut flowers drink up the water in a vase? Depending on the time of year and the conditions of where they are placed, the flowers can start depleting the water within a matter of days, and the leaves start looking a little droopy. Sometimes, if left unattended for long stretches of time, the entire vase can be sucked dry, leaving the petals feeling papery and brittle as if you had hung them to dry like herbs on a string. Every drop of moisture was drained.

Plants aren’t the only things that can experience this depletion; people can also face seasons in which their souls have been sucked dry of hope or joy. They have poured from their resources into the lives of those around them until nothing is left except a feeling of emptiness. During these times, it may seem as if there is no hope of ever being filled again or getting out of the desert of spiritual dryness.

We might be tempted to turn our backs on God when we feel empty. Or we might simply become indifferent to Him, just as we (wrongly) assume He is indifferent to us. However, like the cut flowers, the best thing we can do during times when we feel drained is to receive replenishment. And that means we need to remain close to the Lord. He delights in giving strength to those who are weary and invites those who are tired to come to Him (see Matthew 11:28-30). When we have no more power to keep going, He is our strength. As Habakkuk wrote, after describing his hopeless situation: “The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights” (Habakkuk 3:19, NIV).

Of course, other forms of replenishment are often needed alongside our spiritual health, such as caring for physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion. We might need time to rest, enjoy a nourishing meal, or spend time alone to recharge, which are all ways that remind us of God’s care and provision. Renewed hope comes when we begin to see that there is a well of water from which we can draw whenever we are in need–the life-giving presence of our Lord.

YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER

Giver of Living Water, please replenish my hope. There is too much in my life right now that has left me feeling drained and dry, as if I am a wanderer in the desert. At times, I feel like I cannot take another step in the journey of life; all I want to do is lie down on the bare ground and give up. Fill my soul again with the nourishing gift of Your Word. May my soul find rest in You, O Lord, and be reminded that You are my strength. I will praise You, Savior, here as I struggle, trusting You will supply my need. Be near to me in this season, for hope is only found in You.

THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON

1. A cup overflowing. In Psalm 23, Scripture provides us with an image of what it looks like to live abundantly with God as our Shepherd and Host (Psalm 23:5). How might this image encourage you when you feel empty?

2. An activity that is life-giving to you (like cooking, biking, doing puzzles, reading, etc.). What specific aspect of it gives you joy? How might you make time tomorrow (or this week) to engage in this activity?

3. Something that symbolizes rest or wholeness to you. Could you display this image in your home (either through an object or a picture) to help you remember the need to find replenishment in God when you feel drained?

Sophia Bricker is a writer. Her mission is to help others grow in their relationship with Jesus through thoughtful articles, devotionals, and stories. She completed a BA and MA in Christian ministry which included extensive study of the Bible and theology, as well as an MFA in creative writing. You can read her thoughts about literature and faith at The Cross, a Pen, and a Page Substack, or visit the discipleship-based site Cultivate, where she writes with her sister.