Message Minute (The Cry for Renewal)

"… so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's." - Psalm 103:5

When was the last time you felt truly refreshed?  If you're like most people, it's been a while. Despite all our modern conveniences, we live in the most exhausted generation in history.

•             73 percent of Americans report feeling burned out at work.
•             68 percent say they feel emotionally drained most days.
•             59 percent say they feel older than their chronological age.

We're running on empty, AND we're all looking for ways to feel young again. That’s why the wellness industry profits $1.8 trillion annually from our desperate search for renewal.

But here's what many don't realize: the exhaustion they feel isn't just physical—it's spiritual. We are mind, body, and soul, and spiritual exhaustion requires spiritual renewal. No amount of self-care routines or mindfulness practices can provide the deep, lasting renewal our souls cry out for.

David discovered this truth in Psalm 103. When he wrote about youth being "renewed like the eagle's," he wasn't referring to a mythical, painful process. Instead, he was describing the griffon vulture—a bird that naturally sheds heavy, oil-soaked feathers simply by soaring in the heights, revealing fresh plumage underneath.

This is the spiritual parallel: as we go through life, we accumulate spiritual "muck"—stress, disappointments, hurts, fears. But when we engage in what we were designed to do—worship God and spend time in His presence—that accumulated weight naturally falls away, revealing fresh spiritual vitality.

Renewal doesn't happen through striving; it happens through soaring.

Reflection Question: What spiritual "muck" has been weighing you down lately?

Prayer: God, I confess I've been trying to find renewal through my own efforts. Help me understand that true renewal comes through worship and connection with You. Teach me to soar in Your presence. Amen.