Making our way in a weary world

By now, you have gone through the chaos of shopping, the busyness of hosting, cooking, overeating and gift giving. Or perhaps this year you spent a quiet Christmas, away from the hustle and bustle of the season – or at least as best as you could.

I heard one gentleman share last week, in a hopeful tone, if it was Dec. 26 yet.

No matter if you love Christmas or loathe it, it indeed can be a hectic time of year. Even for those who may not celebrate, the malls and shops, grocery stores and streets are much busier than usual. It can create a sense of stress for many. It can be, in a very real way, a time of weariness.

Yet beyond just the Christmas season, life itself can be a weary journey.

As we prepare to turn the page on another year, let me ask, how has 2018 been for you?

Personally, I have had loved ones pass away; friends whose families were placed in life-ordeath danger; and great sickness a ecting family members.

All has not been wearisome, thank God – for some years are lled with heartbreak more so than others – but more likely than not, your year, as has mine, has seen its share of both triumph and tragedy.

Triumphs are great. We revel in them. We are thankful for them.

It is the tragedies that are hard to take.

Sadly, sooner or later, every person is faced with some sort of personal sorrow or di culty. We live in a world with trouble. We may get a call about the accident. We might get word of a heart attack. We may lose our source of income. Our home life may be a wreck.

Unfortunately, we live in an age where weariness has become a part of our daily lives. rough forums such as social media, we are able to hear and see global tragic events instantly. is, in and of itself may have some bene t – but to a world that is already weary from personal and local crisis; it can add to our already stressed mind and body.

We continue on, day after day, working, raising families, eating, drinking and occasionally trying to be merry. But at the end of the day, we hope for a bit of a respite from the often weary world we nd ourselves in.

Like the old bath product commercial used to say, “Calgon, take me away!”

It would seem that too often we deal with our weariness by masking the real issues with some form of temporary remedy. It may be a substance, a person, a thing – but ultimately, temporary remedies are just that.

But may I suggest that there is hope beyond the temporary?

No, I am not suggesting that I know how to eliminate stress or weariness. Nor do I have some secret elixir that will ease your pain.

The old and beautiful carol, O Holy Night, however, has this wonderful line within: “A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices, For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.”

Oh, how I love hope! A family member of mine just received a biopsy back, and was told they were cancer free. A thrill of hope! Worthy of rejoicing!

A friend of mine recently received word of incurable brain cancer; no hope there.

Yet in both cases, each person is rejoicing. One has a better circumstance, but they both are rejoicing – for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Both are followers of Jesus, and they know that whatever happens in this life, there is a better day coming; a day when we will be with our Saviour, free of the weariness of this life.

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him - 1 John 4:9

May you, too, know the peace that comes by living for Jesus. Happy New Year!