Thoughts That Restore the Soul
The world keeps speaking to us, relentlessly:
“Try harder.”
“If you fall behind, it’s over.”
“Your life is your responsibility.”
Especially in the midst of a fiercely demanding life—or as we build a new life in a foreign land like Australia—these voices can come crashing over us like massive waves. On the surface, we may seem fine. But inside, our hearts are filled with restless questions:
How will I get through tomorrow?
Will my children be okay?
When will our financial situation improve?
Before we realize it, countless unnamed worries settle onto our souls as heavy burdens.
And yet, today, the Lord speaks to us with a voice that is gentle but unmistakably clear:
Many of us are living with spiritual exhaustion, not because we are doing too much, but because we believe we must carry everything alone.
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
1. Not a Cart You Must Pull Alone, but a Road We Walk Together
When Jesus spoke of those who were “weary and burdened,” He was comforting people crushed under the weight of religious law. But today, that burden often takes a different form:
- The pressure to be perfect
- Endless anxiety about the future
- A deep desire to be recognized and approved
We are not exhausted simply because we have too much to do.
We are exhausted because we believe we must carry the outcome all by ourselves.
God never intended us to be superheroes. Rather, His work truly begins when we acknowledge our limits and lay them down before Him.
The “rest” Jesus offers is not laziness or doing nothing.
It is,
“the freedom of the soul that comes from handing the steering wheel of our lives over to God.”
Many of us are living with spiritual exhaustion, not because we are doing too much, but because we believe we must carry everything alone.
Today, try praying this simple prayer:
“Lord, this is beyond my ability.
I place it in Your hands.”
That one honest confession can make shoulders long hardened by tension feel surprisingly light.
2. What Is the Name of the Burden Weighing Heaviest on Your Soul?
Pause for a moment and ask yourself:
“Right now, what is the greatest worry in my heart
that keeps me from fully coming before the Lord?”
So often, we pray—and then pick our worries right back up when the prayer ends. But true rest begins with letting go.
To help with that, here are three simple practices you can begin today.
Three Practices to Lighten the Weight of Your Soul
1) End the day by saying, “You did well.”
As you look up at the quiet Australian night sky, speak these words—first to yourself, and then to God:
“Lord, thank You for carrying me through today.”
This is how we practice entrusting tomorrow’s worries to tomorrow’s God.
2) Create a digital place of rest.
One hour before bed, set your phone aside. News and social media subtly stir comparison and anxiety. Instead, read a short verse from the Psalms and allow the noise in your heart to settle.
3) Practice a physical act of surrender.
Write your biggest concern on a piece of paper. Place it beside a cross, or tuck it into your Bible, and say aloud:
“This now belongs to You, Lord.”
Sometimes a small, tangible action becomes the key that opens the door to peace.
3. A Prayer for the One Who Gives Peace to Your Night
Loving and merciful God,
have compassion on Your children who have struggled to survive another day amid the storms of this world.
May the voice that says, “You have labored enough—come to Me,”
be clearly heard in the hearts of all who read these words.
We lay at Your feet our financial burdens,
the pain of broken relationships,
and the fear of an uncertain future.
We trust in You, who neither slumbers nor sleeps, but watches over us continually.
Tonight, free us from heavy burdens and grant us deep and sweet rest.
Tomorrow morning, renew our strength so that we may rise up like eagles.
We pray all this in the name of Jesus Christ,
our true place of rest.
Amen.
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If you’ve been feeling spiritually exhausted or worn out,
this post may gently help you slow down and rediscover true rest.
Feel free to leave a comment if this resonates with you.
May this reflection become a small pause in your day.
If there was a line that stayed with you, or a prayer request you’d like to share,
please feel free to reach out anytime.