A Word of Refreshing for the Weary Student Leader!

Key Verse:
"But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and
not grow weary. They will walk and not faint."
Isaiah 40:31 NLT

As student leaders move into their major classes, take on more leadership roles on campus or take on a job, their load becomes heavy. It is a common refrain that I hear from upperclassmen. "I have no time." "I am so busy." "My schedule is packed."

Very often, the very first thing they let go of is their time of prayer, worship and fellowship with the Lord! This is a mistake! Consider this analogy. There was a young apprentice butcher who was given the task of trimming a large number of steaks for a customer who would pick them up at noon.
He had only one knife. As long as he stopped for 3 minutes to sharpen the knife, he was able to slice through steaks with ease. After about 30 steaks, he had to stop and sharpen his blade. The young butcher looked at the tall stack of steaks and decided to skip sharpening the knife. He said, I can get more done if I just keep going!
Wrong! His work became harder, it took longer and his arm became exhasted -all because he failed to stop and sharpen his blade!

The same is true of our spiritual lives. Time in fellowship, prayer,worship, the scripture and in meditation, with God keeps us sharp, alert, encouraged and energized!
Lack of prayer, meditation, worship, fellowship and time in the word makes us spiritually dull, tired and weak and oh yes, grouchy! We are not designed to take on the issues of life in our own human strength.

Mediate on the passage below slowly and reflect on the questions below it:

"26Look up into the heavens.
Who created all the stars?
He brings them out like an army, one after another,
calling each by its name.
Because of his great power and incomparable strength,
not a single one is missing.
27 O Jacob, how can you say the Lord does not see your troubles?
O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights?
28 Have you never heard?
Have you never understood?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
29 He gives power to the weak
and strength to the powerless.
30 Even youths will become weak and tired,
and young men will fall in exhaustion.
31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:26-31 NLT)

Relection Questions:
1-On a scale of one to ten how spiritually sharp are you right now.
One being: You never spend time in prayer, fellowship and the word.
Ten being: You are refreshed in prayer, meditation and the word almost every day.
2- What will have to change in order for you to spend more time with the Lord? (What will you have to drop? Where are you wasting time? What priorities will have to change? What behavior patterns will you need to change?

Let's Pray:
Dear Father! It is not your will for me to remain overloaded, tired and exhausted! Help me to reorder my priorities so that I can devote regular time to prayer, meditation and fellowship with other believers!
Lord, as I trust in you, give me new strength! Help me to soar like the eagle. Help me to run and not grow weary! Help me to walk and not faint!
In Jesus Name! Amen!