Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

Our Reading, titled Running on Empty, was written by Kimya Loder.

I just don't think I can do this anymore.

My friend said through her tears, as she discussed the overwhelming sense of hopelessness she faced as a nurse in a global health crisis.

I know that God has called me to nursing, but I'm overwhelmed and emotionally drained, she confessed.

Seeing that a cloud of exhaustion had come over her, I responded, I know you feel helpless right now, but ask God

to give you the direction you're seeking and the strength to persevere. At that moment,

she decided to intentionally seek God through prayer. Soon after, my friend was invigorated

with a new sense of purpose. Not only was she emboldened to continue nursing, but God also gave her

the strength to serve even more people by traveling to hospitals around the country. As believers in

Jesus, we can always look to God for help and encouragement when we feel overburdened because

he will not grow tired or weary. The prophet Isaiah states that our

father in heaven gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Though God's

strength is everlasting, he knows that we'll inevitably have days when we're physically and

emotionally consumed. But when we look to God for our strength,

instead of trying to sprint through life's challenges alone,

he'll restore and renew us and give us the resolve to press on in faith.

Today's Our Daily Bread Devotional Scripture reading is from Isaiah chapter 40 verses 28 through 31.

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth.

He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and

weary, and young men stumble and fall. But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.

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