Day 5

Renewal

Walking in the Light

Opening Prayer

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

God of renewal and peace. Thank you for helping me find time to rest in your presence.

You are my shelter, my provider, and my friend.

Help me to trust that only your ways will satisfy my heart.

When I start to slip back into old habits that turn me away from you, call me back to faithfulness and give me new life.

Blessed be the name of the Lord both now and forever.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Thanksgiving and Praise Exercise

No doubt there is a high possibility that there is still some fudge, cookies, or candy canes floating around your house somewhere. ‘Tis the season.

There’s something very comforting about those foods and, if you had relatives staying at your house, they might have been your prime coping mechanism! It’s good to give God thanks for all the flavors of the season, while still acknowledging that we have healthier paths of renewal available.

Complete these phrases:

Lord, during this Christmas season I am particularly grateful for ____________.

Lord, while I am grateful, I could sure use a break from________________.

Fill in these blanks as many times as you would like.

Pathway Light

“Renewal”

Renewal is not simply the relief that comes from comfort, distraction, or escape. It’s a deeper restoration that comes from encountering God honestly.

So much of our exhaustion in the modern world isn’t physical. It’s rooted in the burdens, grief and longing that we carry within us. OK, this time of year there is probably a healthy dose of physical exhaustion, too. Maybe avoiding taking those Christmas lights down isn’t such a bad thing at the moment. But what we shouldn’t avoid is bringing our authentic selves to God in prayer.

The unhealthy coping habits of binge watching, binge eating, and endlessly scrolling might provide a temporary escape, but things are never magically better at the end. Ultimately, renewal is found not in resting from life or from God, but in resting in God. After all, only God can satisfy the deepest restlessness of our hearts.

Scripture Encounter

1 John 2:15-17

Do not love the world or the things of the world.
If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world,
sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life,
is not from the Father but is from the world.
Yet the world and its enticement are passing away.
But whoever does the will of God remains forever.

Psalm 96:7-8a, 8b-9, 10

R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!

Give to the LORD, you families of nations,
give to the LORD glory and praise;
give to the LORD the glory due his name!

R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!

Bring gifts, and enter his courts;
worship the LORD in holy attire.
Tremble before him, all the earth.

R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!

Say among the nations: The LORD is king.
He has made the world firm, not to be moved;
he governs the peoples with equity.

R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!

Spiritual Reflection

The celebration of the Christmas season is most joyful when the threats, gifts, and over-the-top decorations are put into context. Our reading from 1 John reminds us that many of the shiny objects in life that catch our attention are temporary and passing away.

As we’re thinking about our upcoming year we can think about some new priorities. Are any of the distractions competing with God for a place in our hearts?

Psalm 96 points us in the right direction. When we give glory to God and rejoicing in his presence it places God at the center and everything else finds its proper place. As we enter a new year, let’s let go of what fades and renew our commitment to doing God’s will.

Wellness Practice

Wellness and renewal in God begin with presence. By being present with God we signal an openness to what God has to give us by reshuffling our priorities. Put away the phone (or even better, turn it completely off), turn off the TV, take out the ear buds, and close the laptop.

Pause for a moment and focus on your breathing.

Say to yourself, Lord, here I am.

Repeat this as many times as you like.

Now, make a distinction with the type of tiredness you might be experiencing. Are you struggling with loneliness, are you missing someone, are you nostalgic for past times and wondering if times will ever be that good again? Do you have stress or an unhealed wound?

Don’t ask yourself Am I tired? Ask, What is tired?

Bring this to prayer.

Say to yourself, Jesus, I trust in you.

Repeat this as many times as you like.

Now, take the opportunity to re-engage your life with greater purpose. True rest prepares us to re-enter our relationships, responsibilities, and calling with greater presence and love.

Could you identify one concrete action that reflects trust in God? Maybe it’s a difficult conversation, an act of service, or taking a healthy next step. Renewal is measured not by how well we escape reality, but by how faithfully we return to it.

Review and Prayer

In today’s session we learned that renewal begins when we stop running long enough to discover that we are already known by God, loved by God, and accompanied by God. Rest is not withdrawal from life but a return to life through an encounter with the one who renews us

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

God of rest and renewal. I offer you praise and thanksgiving for restoring me.

I pray that when I become weary that I will never hesitate to turn to you. I know that only in you will my heart be content.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Reflection Questions

What ‘shiny objects’ sometimes enthrall me too much and displace God?

What is most exciting to me about getting a fresh start?

What can I do to prevent burnout?