Rise Up
Isaiah 40:29-31 (NIV)
29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Bryce was blessed with boundless energy and strength. He loved Saturday mornings. As he was growing up he looked forward to our Saturday morning adventures in which we would explore new areas in nature. Biking, hiking, and rock climbing were some of the ways he would find peace in nature. On a cold Saturday morning in December, all of that ended in an instant. In an instant a life full of energy and adventure came to an end.
In these final devotions, I have been summarizing six things that I have learned since the loss of my son. I discussed the need for support and solitude in the two previous devotions. This week I will be discussing the need to rise up.
Without Bryce, I struggled to visit the same trails. My desire for adventures came to end and I found myself just sitting and mourning. Broken and weary I just wanted to let time pass. I was unsure of what the future would hold and I honestly didn’t have the desire to want to find out. As time passed my physical strength weakened as my emotion strength declined. I started to make some progress and then the pandemic hit our nation. Isolation from others reversed much of my progress. I finally forced myself to go out and take short walks just to get out of the house. These simple first steps were pivotal in moving me forward in a longer journey. In the initial days of grief, it was difficult to do things that Bryce loved because it wasn’t the same without him but this time something was different. This time it felt like doing the things that he loved kept a piece of him alive. The walks reminded me of the stories from adventures we shared that were only brought to my mind because I dared to revisit our adventures. The exercise I am sure also had positive physical impacts as well. Exercise is associated with improvements in moods with the release of endorphins. As the days passed, I started to find new strength and started setting new goals. I used Byce’s soccer number 12 to set a daily goal of 12,000 steps. It works almost as a daily reminder that Bryce would want me to rise up. I also started doing repetitions of twelve on Bryce’s weight sets. Each day the physical changes impacted my mental strength as well. I thought of one of Bryce’s favorite verses Isaiah 40:31. It appears on his grave marker.
31 but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Putting our hope in the Lord is the key to renewing our strength. When we dare to look forward into the darkness we are showing hope. Moving forward in small steps of faith builds our strength. When we find hope, we move forward. Soar, run, and walk are all actions. God builds our strength as we move forward. When I was sitting at home there were very few outward expressions of my inward faith. I felt like I was done yet God was not done with me yet. By taking care of my physical self, I am preparing for the work that is before me. I Timothy 4:8 says:
8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
Improving my physical strength has some value but the real value is preparing for the present life and the life to come. The physical training is an outward expression of faith and hope. Although my future is unclear, I am training for whatever God has in store for me. When you are grieving there is power in rising up and walking into an unknown future. Faith is found in our actions. Faith pushes us to walk, run, and soar. My future is unknown but my hope is in the Lord. He gives strength to the weary and increases our power. Rise up. God is not done with you yet.
