Thursday, November 12, 2015

Weary: Five Minute Friday

Another week, another chance to write on a one-word prompt for only five minutes. We set timers, type quickly, and let it flow without criticism. Then, we link-up our posts so we can read others' posts and they read ours and we have a community that grows from one word each week.
Five Minute Friday.

Go!

This week's prompt is Weary.
With winter on the horizon and one less hour of daylight, naps are a natural tendency. Our bodies want to hibernate if we live in climates where the four seasons still exist.



What a blessing it has been to have been traveling through the book of Psalms for the last 2 1/2 months. For it is in the Word of God that I find strength to overcome weary thoughts and attitudes.


I equate the word weary with discouraged. Battling the loss of strength, hope, and vigor is a difficult task indeed. We face physical challenges, emotional challenges, mental, social and spiritual challenges. We can easily become weary if we look to those ups and downs to satisfy us within.



Psalm 42 gives some hope and perspective: (I have substituted the word "weary" for the word "discouraged")
As the deer longs for streams of water,
    so I long for you, O God.
I thirst for God, the living God.
    When can I go and stand before him?
Day and night I have only tears for food,
    while my enemies continually taunt me, saying,
    “Where is this God of yours?”
My heart is breaking
    as I remember how it used to be:
I walked among the crowds of worshipers,
    leading a great procession to the house of God,
singing for joy and giving thanks
    amid the sound of a great celebration!
Why am I weary?
    Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
    I will praise him again—
    my Savior and my God!
Now I am deeply weary,
    but I will remember you—
even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan,
    from the land of Mount Mizar.
I hear the tumult of the raging seas
    as your waves and surging tides sweep over me.
But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me,
    and through each night I sing his songs,
    praying to God who gives me life.
“O God my rock,” I cry,
    “Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I wander around in grief,
    oppressed by my enemies?”
10 Their taunts break my bones.
    They scoff, “Where is this God of yours?”
11 Why am I weary?
    Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
    I will praise him again—
    my Savior and my God!

Many of the link-up writes will most likely include Isaiah 40:29-31 or Galatians 6:9. I wanted to include something else that would bring new life in the light of those amazing promises. They are valid and hope-filled, but tonight, I encourage you to see that whether your life is full of affirmation or condemnation from others, if your hope is in God, then your identity and value and worth will be centered for eternity. You will not need the affirmations nor will you be devastated by the condemnations.
Is God your rock?
Psalm 43 continues with the same chorus, and states that God is the source of all my joy!!!

1 "Declare me innocent, O God!
    Defend me against these ungodly people.
    Rescue me from these unjust liars.
For you are God, my only safe haven.
    Why have you tossed me aside?
Why must I wander around in grief,
    oppressed by my enemies?
Send out your light and your truth;
    let them guide me.
Let them lead me to your holy mountain,
    to the place where you live.
There I will go to the altar of God,
    to God—the source of all my joy.
I will praise you with my harp,
    O God, my God!
Why am I weary?
    Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
    I will praise him again—
    my Savior and my God!"

I pray you are lifted up by God tonight and encouraged and hopeful. For He is the lifter of your head. 

The first song that popped in my head begins with the lyrics
"Oh soul, are you weary and troubled?"
The chorus?
"Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus"

Just as He's been saying. Look to Him. :)
~Tammy

P.S. Please list your url or your linkup number if you'd like me to read your post. I'm not on bloglovin so I don't always know how to find you! :D

 






21 comments:

  1. Love this: "...whether your life is full of affirmation or condemnation from others, if your hope is in God, then your identity and value and worth will be centered for eternity."

    And then Psalm 43... oh wow, I loved being reminded of this today of all days! Thanks so much! :)

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    1. Susan,
      thank you! I don't think I've had the pleasure of reading your posts before, but if so, forgive me. I did have a week or two of weariness before tonight's prompt, so this was a great one to write. Especially since just a couple weeks ago, we wrote about joy!
      Blessings to you!
      Love,
      Tammy

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  2. Yes turn your eyes on Jesus. I love that you included the definition of weary. I almost began my post that way tonight too. The psalms are so great. Joy also makes me think of Psalm 30:5 "Weeping may come for the night, but joy comes with the morning." I'm over in the #6 spot tonight.

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    1. Tara,
      I'm so sorry for the heaviness and heart hurt you're carrying right now. I'm glad I could encourage you tonight. I read yours as well.
      (hug)
      Love,
      Tammy

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  3. Great post, Tammy!

    It's funny to me that even tho' I get tired, I'm not wearied. There's no fugue, no soul-shattering melancholy.

    Perhaps that is what comes of being nicknamed Mongo, and being told - by many - that I'm dumber than a box o' rocks. I'm told I SHOULD be sad, and depressed. But I just don;t know 'how' to do it!

    I'll accept that. Ready to fight on regardless!

    #2 at FMF this week (I CAN count that high, on a good day).

    http://blessed-are-the-pure-of-heart.blogspot.com/2015/11/your-dying-spouse-82-not-weary-at-all.html

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    1. Andrew,
      I'm glad that weary and tired are not the same for you. Dark music has its moment, but we should not linger there. :)
      Enjoyed your writing again!
      ~Tammy

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  4. Of course,I could always try listening to sad songs...but I really prefer this one...my 'cure' for weariness.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa2nLEhUcZ0

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  5. Oh yes and amen... I did include Gal 6:9, because - of course! But I also almost included this verse from Isa 50:4 "The Lord, the Eternal, equipped me for this job—
    with skilled speech, a smooth tongue for instruction.
    I can find the words that comfort and soothe the downtrodden, tired, and despairing. And I know when to use them. Each morning, it is God who wakes me and tells me what I should do, what I should say."

    SO good, right? I am at #15 tonight!

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    1. Karrilee,
      SO good indeed! Wow. That is so powerful!
      I'm looking forward to catching up on reading everyone's posts. Thanks for giving me your link.
      Love,
      Tammy

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  6. The prompt made Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus pop in my head too. I've always loved and sought solace in that hymn. The words are such a balm to a weary soul.

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I'm #26 this morning. Have a great weekend!

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    1. I delighted to see that hymn across the top of your post. Thank you for your link number. I'm not sure how to find people otherwise!! :) (and I'm too stubborn to switch over to wordpress just for bloglovin) It was beautiful to read.
      Love,
      Tammy

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  7. Tammy, beautiful post. Yes, our souls do get weary. How do we deal with that? Well, you showed us. We go hide ourselves in God's word. He's the source of our joy, our hope and our sanity.

    And this? "whether your life is full of affirmation or condemnation from others, if your hope is in God, then your identity and value and worth will be centered for eternity."
    Yeah, timeless truth there. Thanks, Tammy!

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    1. Jeanne,
      oh I wish I could take credit for the thought, but it's a collection of what He's been speaking to me through others. So, perhaps He worded it best. :)
      He's taking me through a humbling season and that's a bit of the puzzle right there. Where is my identity. Who am I choosing to be my God? Is it Him? Or is it me?
      Love,
      Tammy

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  8. Alan Jackson is always a nice touch. I never really thought about it, but weary is so related to being discouraged. So glad I visited tonight. Joining you from the #78 spot on FMF.

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    1. Natasha,
      and y'all never grow weary. ;) Loved your post. Truly. Thank you for blessing me with a comment and a link, so I could come on over and be lifted up at your place as well!
      Love,
      Tammy

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  9. I love how you used Psalms in your post to bring about understanding of the word "weary." It puts a new spin on it!

    Love from FMF #58

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    1. Kadie,
      so glad you've joined us! I loved your post. Thanks for telling me where to find you. Not everybody remembers, and then I'm thanking them for their comments but never able to follow their posts. :)
      I hope you'll continue to feel welcome and led to post from your heart. It's therapeutic and the comments are always an encouragement!
      Love,
      Tammy

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  10. your blog is very interesting as it is layered ... I have never seen that before. I wrote on the five minute prompt also but I took way more than five minutes, still learning windows 10 with word press. I lost my readers when I moved my blog over so if you want to check it out and subscribe one more would be awesome... each one counts. so I know I am not writing for no reason.
    http://www.sharono-somethingtothinkabout.com/

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    1. Sharon,
      thank you. I'm blessed by your compliment. I am resisting the transition to wordpress as long as possible, though when I don't have a shortlink or a linkup number to follow, it does leave me unable to find the poster's blog. :) Maybe somebody will come up with a blogger app so I don't have to switch!
      Love,
      Tammy

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  11. "Turn Your Eyes on Jesus" is one of my favorites hymns. The words bring encouragement to my soul as I go through a weary time myself. Beautiful post, Tammy. It blessed me.

    Lynette (Daffodilsandcoffee.wordpress.com)
    ~#76 on linkup this week

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    1. Lynette, isn't it beautiful?? I miss the old hymns. And, I love the poetry of the verses. I had difficulty finding a modern recording of the song that would include all the words. Though the chorus is powerful, I love the context of the song.
      Praying you find a break of sun in the clouds as you travel in the bleak midwinter of your journey...it's not always winter. :)
      Love,
      Tammy

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