Especially after the last two years we’ve lived through, I think most of us probably feel tired, worn out, maybe even burned out on religion. If you are there, I get it. I’ve been saddened by the way some people of faith and some of our religious leaders have responded to much of the loss and sorrow in our nation and in our world over the past few years. I’m saddened by the way my own weary and prideful heart responds to others at times. That being said, I cannot recommend Jesus enough. He is full of grace and mercy and life and light, and He’s been kind enough to not leave me in my mess. He meets us in our deepest places of sorrow and hopelessness, and He has all the empathy and hope we’ll ever need, even there in the depths.
There are unforced rhythms of grace. Unforced. It’s all an invitation. We don’t have to lay our burdens down, but we are invited every moment to remember that there is a God who is always with us. A God who loves to keep company with us. Lord help me to remember. Help me to come to You and recover my life in the process. May we move into this new year, learning to live “freely and lightly” even when the weight of this world is heavy on our shoulders. This is a mystery to me, God, and mystery I’ve seen play out in my own life again and again. May I continue to lean into this beautiful mystery of hope even in the midst of my darkest days.