Dear Friends!

Today I wanted to tell you about one of the most important choices that the Lord ever helped me to make: the choice to say that . . . I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired!

For me, those words were more than a cute saying — they were a declaration that initiated a process of emotional healing and restoration, setting me free.

I’m sharing this with you today in case you’ve ever found yourself emotionally exhausted, tired of dealing with hurt, just doing your best to “get by” in life.

Have you ever felt this kind of sickness or tiredness in your soul — your mind, will, and emotions? If you have, I am writing to you today with good news straight from the Word of God. And it’s my prayer that my letter is a timely encouragement for you at this moment.

In John 10:10 we read that Jesus said: “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

You weren’t meant to go through life unhappy. God doesn’t want you to live exhausted, stressed, anxious — hiding your pain, just trying to make it through the day. There is no doubt about it . . . you were created for more!

You can experience a healthy, whole, abundant life in Jesus! For many of us, that’s a promise that seems hard to imagine. Soul wounds like betrayal, grief, shame, rejection, fear (and so many others) can make us feel hopeless. We see others living happy, healthy lives, and we think, Why can’t that be me? I’m wondering if you can relate. (I know I can. I was in that place for many years.).

No matter what you’re going through in this season of your life . . . God wants to heal you everywhere you hurt. He wants to set you free!

Maybe you’ve been discouraged by pain so deep you don’t feel like you can ever recover. But I want you to know that there is no pain God can’t heal in your life.

• When your heart is broken, God can mend it (Psalm 147:3).
• When your mind is consumed with fear, God can restore your peace (Isaiah 26:3).
• When your emotions feel like a roller coaster, God can bring stability (Psalm 112:7).
• When others leave you, God promises He never will (Deuteronomy 31:8).

It’s all part of the life Jesus came to give you — a life best described as free! This is the realisation that I finally came to years ago. God’s promise that led me to say, I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.

And the practical step I needed to take was choosing to turn to the Word of God rather than relying on my feelings. And I want to help you do the very same thing (that’s the whole purpose of my letter today).

You see, it’s easy to let our emotions and our feelings dictate our lives. But if we dwell on our hurt rather than on God’s healing, we’ll never be truly free. We should build our lives on something much wiser and much more dependable than how we feel on a particular day — and that is the healing that comes from God’s Word.

• Some days you might feel guilty because of past mistakes, but God’s Word says you are forgiven and righteous in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21).
• Some days you might question your physical appearance or your worth, but God’s Word says you are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14).
• Some days it might look like there’s no way out of a particular situation, but God’s Word says He is making a way where there seems to be no way (Isaiah 43:19).

Don’t let your emotions or the choices of others set the direction of your life — that only leads to frustration and instability. Remember . . .

You were created to be free! God can heal you everywhere you hurt!

When you focus on God’s Word and His promises, rather than your feelings, it allows God to work both in you and through you. Joy, peace, stability, confidence, and spiritual maturity come when you base your life on the Word of God and when you choose to stand on His promises.

Sure, there will be days when these things don’t “feel” true. There will be moments when your emotions tell you otherwise. But don’t surrender to those feelings. The Word of God is always true. God’s promises for you will come to pass.

Remember, feeling emotionally exhausted — just getting by — is not the life God has in store for you. You don’t have to stay stuck in hurt or pain. You can experience a healthy, whole, joy-filled life. You can be free!

Joyce