D.L.

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“Youths may become faint and weary, and young men stumble and fall,
but those who trust in the LORD will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40,30-31 CSB17)

We are more aware of the state and health of our minds and souls. An epidemic is affecting us in the way we think, feel, and act. I have encountered so many people who have been affected by this.
This field is vast and complex, and there are many cases when the problem manifests physically. Some illnesses make us weak and tired.

We know that when we are exhausted and reach the point where there is not much in the reserve tank, our mood changes and our capacity to perform diminishes. I am a chaplain on a football team, and I know that one of the most crucial play in the game is the last ten to five minutes. Especially if you are winning by only one goal. The players are tired, but they need to get going to see that game through and get the victory. It is in those five to ten minutes that they are more vulnerable. If this is true in the physical, it is also true in the spiritual.

For example, the problem of guilt and feeling guilty, thinking we are beyond restoration and forgiveness. The most troubling thing about this is the inability to forgive ourselves. This issue alone has led many of us into the nasty road of depression and anxiety. We are considered guilty when an accusation has arisen, and probed we are at fault. Yet, sometimes, when the accusation does not stand, we still may feel very low. I know this in my own life and the lives of others.
It would be so simple to look at what Isaiah wrote and take it as a magic pill that will give us strength against fatigue, stamina to carry on , and the ability not to faint. If only, then we would not need faith. I think when Isaiah says that for those who “trust in the Lord”, it is more than a wish, and it is more profound than hope, even though the concept of hope is crucial in our understanding of God.

I believe that “trust” is not just one event; it is born from a desire to be known and to know, which is relationship. This works on many levels. I joined a three-week intensive course where it was said to us repeatedly, “Trust the process” In other words, let us get to know you, and you get to know us, and you will see and experience that we are here for your good. Those who trust in the Lord know and have tested and see that the Lord is good, and because he is good, we can trust him for the journey ahead.
So, how do we deal with guilt? We trust in the one who can forgive us, and as a powerful exchange, we are given his Holy Spirit to encourage and strengthen us. Guilt no longer has a debilitating effect on us.