Have you ever wished you could restart something in your life, that there was a reset button on life like when our computer needs rebooted?
My husband was praying over me recently when he spoke the word “reset,” he asked God to give me a reset, for some reason this simple word made my spirit leap and I thought, "yes, how I could use a reset!”
Reset means to set again, adjust, or even fix in a new or different way. When a plant outgrows its environment or has started looking droopy and fatigued, it is often moved from one pot to another and put in new soil and nutrients. That’s what we need sometimes. We need to be replanted and fertilized by the Spirit of God to be equipped to continue the path on which He has set us. Other times we may need to have the vision for our work readjusted.
A couple of days after my husband spoke this word over me I attended a revival service. During worship, I sat down to ask God to impart to me whatever I needed to keep going as well as distribute to those I minister to in my small church. At just that moment the pastors leading the service called all other pastors up to the front. Had it been another occasion I may not have gone up, but it occurred to me that I had just asked God to impart to me, so I went. The next 20 minutes or so were spent praying and warring for this nation, state, city, and youth. These specific prayers were all the things our church’s prayer time consisted of a few days prior. While on stage with these pastors and guest speaker, I had a fleeting thought of “I wonder what God is going to do.” I didn’t want to focus on me as I wanted to remain as one with the others during this time of prayer. At first, I wasn’t able to discern how this was going help me in the weariness I was struggling with since we were praying with fierceness, but as I was leaving the revival meeting, I spotted a woman wearing a shirt that read, RESET. I knew God had just answered my husband's prayer.
It didn’t take too long for me to understand why God had allowed me to go up on that stage and be part of such prayer. I had desired to be with others that had the same heart for revival and passion for seeing the captives set free. This time with these pastors sparked the desire I had for prayer, deliverance, and revival. God gave me this gift to help me reset.
I had begun to grow weary and discouraged in the work of the ministry of which I was engaged in and had started to question all of it. I had begun to wonder almost daily if I had heard the Lord correctly or had I merely chosen something to do because it seemed to be the right thing to do. I kept hearing the words from people and in my thoughts as well, do not grow weary, but it wasn’t holding me up during this time of emptiness.
And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. - Gal 6:9-10 NKJV
I realized there is a possibility that we can get so tired from doing good works that we may need a reset. Lack of rest often causes this fatigue, especially the lack of resting in the Lord; there is a way we can work and be at rest in Him at the same time. Another reason we often grow weary in well doing is that we are no longer running on the Holy Spirit’s strength but somewhere we have picked up our call and are working in our strength and not God’s. When we are feeling the emotional, physical, and even spiritual effects of ministry or any good works we have walked out of the grace of God to do the thing we are doing, and we must go back to Him for a reset.
A reset for some people is not a one size fits all remedy to fatigue. Some people may need to take a Sabbath while others may need to adjust their schedule to lighten their load and still others may need to keep at the same work but spend more time getting refilled by the Holy Spirit. Either way, we all need a reset at some point in our lives, and it is important to allow God to give it to us, we are not to manipulate a situation in hopes of bringing the necessary changes but should permit God to lead us into the reset.
Cast your burden on the LORD, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved. Psa 55:22
It is important to remember that God cares for His own and He can handle our fatigue, He can deal with our outcries of need and even when we want to give up He is not surprised. Our burdens should never be more than He has equipped us to carry. If the duties we carry are causing distress in our lives, it is time to look for a reset.
When we reach the point of weariness and dryness and hear our hearts moaning, “As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God.” Ps 42:1 It is time to go away and find the Father, ask Him to reset your path and do not resist Him.
Let’s pray,
Heavenly Father, You are a freshwater spring that when released can refresh me in my weary and dry soul and when I’m exhausted, and without strength, I know Your power will carry me. When I can no longer sustain the pace at which I find myself going I know if I will stop and call out to You I will receive Your response. Help me to lay down anything I have picked up that has caused me fatigue in doing good and reset my heart, mind, and body. I am grateful for Your instruction, and when You speak Lord, I will listen. In Jesus name, Amen.