S06E011, Even Youths Grow Tired and Weary, Endurance

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In this episode of Endurance, Steven and Nathan are looking into the fact that we are not invincible.

Endurance is your weekly spiritual workout, whether you think of yourself as a beginner, an intermediate, or advanced!

#GoDeeper

Steven begins this week’s GoDeeper with Isaiah 40:30-31, which says that even youths will stumble and fall. In other words, even the strongest and fittest of us will grow tired. He then gives two examples from his own life which illustrate this.

He then challenges us to go to God for strength. In addition to this, he recommends seeking help from other people. Finally, he concludes with Joshua 1:7, which tells us to be strong and courageous, but also to follow God’s commands.

#GoDo

Nathan and Steven discuss this week’s topic in greater detail:

1. Another Scripture relevant to our topic might be “I can do all things through him who gives me strength.”
2. God gives us spiritual strength. But sometimes He gives us physical strength.

We also recommend that you listen to “Invincible” by Skillet – it’s a great song.

Check out this week’s episode to learn how to get back up again when we stumble and fall.

Steven and Nathan

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[00:00:00] Nathan: Hello, my name's Nathan, and this is Endurance, your weekly spiritual workout. So get ready for some spiritual training. This week's episode is titled Even Youths Grow Tired and Weary, and we're basically looking at the idea of becoming tired and weary. We're not invincible. None of us are. We all need help from time to time.

[00:00:43] Nathan: We can't do everything on our own. And that is exactly what it says in Isaiah 40 verses 30 to 31, youths may become tired 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. [00:01:00] They will run and not become weary. They will walk and not faint.

[00:01:05] Nathan: What that tells us is that even the best of us can become tired and weary. Even the fittest and strongest can run out of energy, but with God, we never run out of energy, and in His strength, we can do so much more than we ever could on our own. Steven will be along in a moment to discuss this further, to explain to us the idea around Isaiah 40 verses 30 to 31 mainly.

[00:01:31] Nathan: About the fact that youths grow tired and weary, but with God's help, we can always run. We can soar and we can, we never run out of energy, so sit back and enjoy.

[00:01:47] Nathan: You can't win if you are not willing to lose. Hashtag Speaktruth.

[00:01:58] Andy B: Two minutes a day can change your [00:02:00] world and in Just a Thought, that's kind of what I do. Because I take the ordinary moments of life and think, How can this apply to faith, to life, to moving through this world with people around us? How can a tiny spider or the handle of a microwavable rice pot affect our life. And how can it help us learn something about ourselves and the world around us?

[00:02:22] Andy B: So here's what I thought. Have you ever wondered what red flags, shredded tyres, persistence, holes, dishwater tea, rice maker handles, tape measures, giant spiders that are not and stripy fabric all have in common? Well you're not alone.

[00:02:37] Andy B: And they actually link wonderfully together, as you will find out in the book. I'm just gonna read this out from Reverend Johnny Douglas, who wrote the foreword very kindly for me. Just a thought is a collection of pregnant brain thoughts, but it's so much more than this. Andy reflects a determination, character and grasp of God and His loving purpose and wise ways.

[00:02:56] Andy B: As we go through life, there's all these things that go on. There's all these exciting things of [00:03:00] life, but actually it's the ordinary and it's the normal from which we can learn so, so much. Each little chapter will take you a few moments to read, but hopefully will get your brain working and ready for the day. Just a Thought.

[00:03:34] Steven: Welcome to Endurance. And this is a part of Endurance where we go deeper into our topic, and as Nathan said, we're talking about when youths, no, even youths can stumble and fall. Even the strongest and fittest of us can grow weary, grow weak, because we're not invincible. And that is basically what we're talking about - the fact that we're not invincible. And the Bible says that.

[00:03:57] Steven: Isaiah 40, 30 to [00:04:00] 31 says, even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion, in exhaustion. 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. And that's in the New Living Translation.

[00:04:19] Steven: So got some examples of this from my own life. A few years ago we had Covid going round, didn't we? And I was feeling fit, healthy. I was eating regularly - good meals - and running lots, doing lots of weight training, and somehow I thought I was invincible. I figured if I got Covid it would be really mild or next to nothing. But I got Covid and for a week I was wiped out basically.

[00:04:43] Steven: Well, it wasn't that bad, but the point being I got the virus, even though I thought I wouldn't get it. And a more recent example is I've been struggling with a bit of sickness - nausea and stuff. And I came to the end of myself the other night. I just gave up trying to [00:05:00] fight this illness that I've got. And that is me coming to the end of myself.

[00:05:04] Steven: That is an example of me not being invincible, cause at the end of the day, none of us are. And we'll all have those moments when we can't go any further and we'll have it in exercise. So you might be out for a run, might be a normal pace, normal distance, and sometimes you just can't keep going like you usually do.

[00:05:19] Steven: I've had it. And there's so many different factors. It could be that you haven't had enough sleep, hadn't had enough food. There's so many things that can suddenly make you slower. Also, the weather. It's funny how it can be more humid and it just wipes you out. There's so many different things in this life that will knock us back, or just make things too hard for us.

[00:05:39] Steven: But those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength. There's a song from a band called Skillet, which is called Invincible, and the lyrics are basically sort of talking to God, singing to God, saying, you make me feel invincible. And that is very true. God makes us feel invincible with Him. If we, you know, put our strength on Him or get our strength from Him, [00:06:00] then we can soar on wings like eagles.

[00:06:03] Steven: And it's not necessarily a literal sense. We're not necessarily gonna be suddenly strong, even though we're tired or knackered from illness, but emotionally, spiritually, in sort of a mental sort of sense, we will be stronger. We'll be able to soar in a metaphorical sort of way, not literally.

[00:06:21] Steven: But then sometimes there is a physical element. If you go to God for strength, when you are physically struggling through a working day or whatnot, He can give you physical strength. It's happened in the Bible. It's happened to lots of people over the years; they've gone to God for physical strength and He does provide it. And they can run and not grow weary, walk and not faint.

[00:06:41] Steven: And sometimes we need help from other people. We need to go to God for help. But also God can use other people to help us out of tough situations when we come to the end of ourselves. If you need five minutes rest, you can ask somebody, or whatever you need, food or whatnot.[00:07:00] 

[00:07:00] Steven: Joshua one seven says this, Above all, be strong and very courageous to observe carefully the whole instruction my servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or to left so that you'll have success wherever you go. And that is my conclusion. Be strong and courageous. Observe what God has commanded, and then we all soar and not grow weary.

[00:07:20] Steven: That is even youths grow tired and weary.

[00:07:34] Steven: Family prayer 

[00:07:35] Jo: time. So what is it, Peter? 

[00:07:38] Peter: Well, it's where me and Mum, or Jo, we look at, we find a subject for prayer, so maybe the Psalm or a country. And then we pray as we feel led. And bob's your uncle.

[00:07:49] Jo: Excellent. Yeah, absolutely. It's family prayer time, me and Peter pray together and we'd like you to pray as a family. So join us for family prayer time.[00:08:00] 

[00:08:18] Nathan: Okay, so this is the final part of Endurance where we discuss the topic further and I ask Steven some tricky questions. 

[00:08:25] Steven: Hang on a minute.

[00:08:27] Nathan: Well, that's the agreed format. Yep, all the staff in the. Every single one of the camera crew agree with me. Isn't that right, Andy? 

[00:08:37] Andy B: Yes.

[00:08:40] Nathan: Okay. So thought you made some good points in there. I thought you mentioned Isaiah, but I thought there was another Scripture, I forget what it is, but Paul talks about how I can do all things through Him Who gives me strength. 

[00:08:53] Steven: Mm. It's often very misquoted that Scripture though isn't it?. 

[00:08:56] Nathan: Yes, we consider that we can do anything we want because God will give us the [00:09:00] strength, but it means that we can do all things that God wants us to do, so long as we, so long as we do it in His strength and not for our own glory, I suppose.

[00:09:09] Steven: Yep. By the way, it's a smart move there opening with a compliment before you ask those tricky questions. Very good start there. 

[00:09:15] Nathan: Yes. See, I've learnt very well. We're professional, as you can see. I thought it was interesting. You talked about how God gives us spiritual strength, but also physical strength sometimes.

[00:09:29] Steven: Yeah. More, more prominently, it's our sort of spiritual, our emotional strength to carry on. But God does sometimes give us physical strength if we, if we look to Him for it. 

[00:09:40] Nathan: Yeah. I mean, I remember how Elijah was given strength by God, and he outran a chariot for miles. 

[00:09:47] Steven: Was that Elijah? 

[00:09:48] Nathan: I believe so. Outrunning King Ahaz. 

[00:09:52] Steven: I thought it was a different guy. No, but one of them went 40 days and 40 nights traveling without food or water, I think. 

[00:09:59] Nathan: Yeah. I mean, [00:10:00] so there, there are lots of examples in the Bible where God gives people supernatural, superhuman strength to accomplish things. And that is going to give some physical strength.

[00:10:08] Nathan: But also, there's that Scripture, My grace is sufficient for you. My power is perfected in weakness. And that tells us that when we're struggling spiritually, God can also give us the strength to overcome our challenges. 

[00:10:21] Steven: When we come to the end of ourselves, we look to Him for strength. We're so much stronger when we're leaning on God.

[00:10:25] Nathan: Yeah, and that's the amazing thing. That's what it means, perfect, my strength is perfected, my power, sorry, is perfected in weakness. That's what it means. When we are not trying to solve it on our own and walk in our own strength, suddenly we can do so much more because God is so much stronger than us.

[00:10:42] Nathan: So yeah, really good. And I thought we could, I thought we ought to recommend, you mentioned Skillet's song Invincible. 

[00:10:47] Steven: Yep. 

[00:10:47] Nathan: We definitely recommend you listen to that. It's brilliant. 

[00:10:50] Steven: And turn it right up.

[00:10:51] Nathan: Yes, yes. To really, fully appreciate it. Let those words sink in.

[00:10:57] Steven: From the 2016 album [00:11:00] Unleashed.

[00:11:00] Nathan: Thank you. There you are - detail. Which track is it? Do you know that? 

[00:11:03] Steven: First track.

[00:11:04] Nathan: He even knows the track. Can you give us the length? 

[00:11:07] Steven: No.

[00:11:08] Nathan: Seriously, disappointing. All right, well that's very interesting. So, yeah, I mean, we are not necessarily gonna have the strength to keep going. But we know that in all things, God will give us the strength to keep going if we trust in Him, if we walk in His strength and if we, if we rely upon Him. But, of course, that requires a certain amount of humility to accept that we need His help.