Your Encouraging 5 Minute Podcast
A weekly dose of encouragement to start your week off right! Join your favorite WPER hosts every week for uplifting thoughts to keep your eyes focused on Christ and His promises.
Your Encouraging 5 Minute Podcast
Encouragement for the Weary
Feeling weary, overwhelmed, or just plain exhausted?
You're not alone.
Join us as we explore Jesus's powerful invitation from Matthew 11:28: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
Now, let's be clear - this isn't just another pep talk about pushing through tough times.
We dive into the radical nature of Christ's invitation—how He welcomes us exactly as we are, not as we think we should be.
While the world keeps telling us to hustle harder and stay strong, Jesus offers something completely different: genuine rest for your soul.
We also focus on the beautiful truth that God doesn't wait for us to get our act together before drawing near. He came for us "while we were still sinners," meeting us in our brokenness, addictions, and struggles.
If you're feeling like you're barely hanging on, this message reminds you don't have to figure everything out or pretend you're okay when you're not.
Instead, we invite you to breathe deep, be honest with God about where you are, and let Him meet you there.
You are deeply loved by the One who never grows weary.
Oh, we're so glad you found the Encouraging 5-Minute Podcast here to encourage you in the next five minutes. Kind of inspire you, maybe lift your day. Sharing some thoughts. My name is Eric. This is my friend Heather Hi, and if you need more encouragement at the end of the five minutes, you can always listen to Virginia's Home for Encouragement, wper. If you're outside the Virginia area where that station broadcasts, then you can download the WPER app or you can do both.
Speaker 2:Yeah, or you can listen on your smart speaker too. We're not big sticklers, nope. But we don't know where you are right now. Either Maybe you're in your car, maybe you're at home, or maybe you're just sitting somewhere trying to catch your breath. So, no matter where you are, if you're feeling weary, emotionally drained, spiritually tired, just plain physically worn out, or maybe a combination of all three we want you to know that you are not alone.
Speaker 1:Jesus said something powerful in Matthew 11, verse 28, come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Speaker 2:Okay. So did you hear that? He didn't say those of you who have everything together? He didn't say those of you who fit a certain stereotype, not like ooh, hey, if you're a really good person, all all who are weary, come to me and I will give you rest. That promise isn't just for like strong people or successful people, or even super spiritual people. It's for tired people, discouraged people, the ones who feel like they've been running on empty for way, way, way too long.
Speaker 1:That's what. If you've been trying to hold everything together job, your relationships, your faith and you feel like you're one step away from crumbling, I get it, we know that feeling. But here's the truth. You don't have to carry it all on your own. Jesus doesn't say fix yourself and then you come to me. He simply says come, bring your mess, your doubts, disappointments and your pain. Bring all of it.
Speaker 2:He's not afraid of any of it. No, because he didn't go to the cross for the person that you want to be. His word tells us that he died while we were still yet sinners, while we were still addicted, while we were still broken, while we were still struggling, while we were still knee deep in our mess.
Speaker 1:You know, the world tells us to hustle, to work harder, to push through the tough times, stay strong. But Jesus says the exact opposite. He invites us to rest in his grace, to trust that he's enough, especially when we feel like we're not.
Speaker 2:Psalm 34, 18 actually says the Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Maybe that's you right now, broken hearted, crushed. Well, honey, he's closer than you think. So today, breathe deep, because you don't have to figure everything out, you certainly don't have to have it all together. Let go, I mean, even if it's just for a moment. Let go and let him hold you.
Speaker 1:Be honest with God. He isn't afraid of your words or your feelings, your emotions. You can be honest with him about anything and everything, especially if you feel like you've just lost hope. But know this hope isn't gone. God's not done with your story. There's still beauty ahead, still healing, still some joy. Jesus offers more than just survival, just getting along. He offers life, full and abundant, even in the middle of the hard stuff.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So let him meet you right there, right here, right now, just as you are in this moment weary, exhausted, low on hope, maybe even low on faith. Well, tell him that, tell Jesus that you're low on your faith, and let him meet you where you are, because he can not only restore your faith, but he can give you the rest that you need, whether it's mental, physical or spiritual. Ask him to comfort you and show you that he's with you, and then just let him.
Speaker 1:Yeah, trust that, because we've all been there, we know Well. Thank you for sharing these few minutes with us here. If this has encouraged you in any way, would you pass it on to someone else who might need a word of hope today? And then remember you are deeply loved by the one who never grows weary, never, never forget that God is holding you close and if he feels far, just ask him to make himself known to you so that you can feel his presence.
Speaker 2:Thanks for letting us hang out with you for five minutes. If this is encouraged, you share it with someone that you know could use a little encouragement. If you're looking for more encouragement, you can always tune in to WPER, virginia's home for encouragement. Maybe you would like the WPER app, because you could take that hope and encouragement with you anywhere you go. You can find a secure download link at WPERorg.
