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“But I said, ‘I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing at all. Yet what is due me is in the Lord’s hand, and my reward is with my God” (Isaiah 49:4, NIV).
Have you ever poured your all into something, only to feel like it wasn’t enough? Maybe it was a school assignment, a sports goal, or a dance audition? Or, perhaps it was your job, ministry, or a relationship? You tried so hard, but your efforts fell flat. Isaiah knew this feeling well.
In Isaiah 49, after many chapters of trying to lead God’s chosen people back to Himself, he’d had enough. Verse 4 even says that he felt like his work and labor were in vain. He’d spent his strength for nothing in return and felt like an utter failure. This prophet, chosen by God, felt weary and wondered if his calling made a difference. I wonder if you can relate?
And yet, after confessing his exhaustion, Isaiah makes a pivot. The second half of this verse begins with “yet,” transitioning our sight from exhaustion to hope: “Yet what is due me is in the Lord’s hand, and my reward is with my God” (Isaiah 49:4).
Not only that, but listen to how God responds: “And now the Lord speaks—the one who formed me in my mother’s womb to be his servant, who commissioned me to bring Israel back to him. The Lord has honored me, and my God has given me strength. He says, “You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me. I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 49:5-6, NLT). Did you catch it? We grow weary, but God does so much more. And just as He used Isaiah, He will continue to use us.