Hope for the Weary Heart

If you’ve ever made candles, you know the beautiful photos online hide a very real truth: the testing phase is where the real work—and the real frustration—happens. It’s the part of the process where things stop being fun and start to feel overwhelming. It’s where you wonder if you should just throw everything out the front door and walk away.

Finding the perfect wick size for your jar can feel almost impossible. One wick burns too cool. The next one burns too hot. It's FRUSTRATING!
Then there’s the fragrance oil—6%? 8%? 10%?
How many candles must you make and burn before everything finally works together the way it should?

These are only a couple of the challenges that come with making a quality candle. But one of my recent tests became something more—it became a moment where God spoke straight to my heart.

I was testing a candle recently and the wick was the problem. The flame stayed so low it barely melted the wax. Sometimes the flame dipped so low I thought it would go out completely. That’s when I sighed and admitted defeat: I’m going to have to start over with another wick.

I was reminded of that struggling flame a few days later after I came across Isaiah 42:3 during my quiet time:

“He will not break a bruised reed, and He will not put out a smoldering wick; He will faithfully bring justice.” — Isaiah 42:3

Suddenly, God used that candle to show me something about myself.

As I studied this verse, I learned that a reed is a fragile plant that grows near wetlands, swamps, and marshlands. Its stalk bends easily. It bruises easily. But beneath the surface lies a surprising truth:

A reed has a deep, extensive root system.
Even when the top looks weak or damaged, it is incredibly hard to destroy because it is anchored firmly in the earth.

But when its root system dries out, and it loses what nourishes it, the reed becomes brittle and vulnerable.

And that is exactly how our spirit feels when we’ve been running on empty.

A smoldering wick is one that once burned bright but now flickers, trembles, and barely holds its light. It produces more smoke than flame. It seems one breath away from going out.

But what does Jesus do?

He does not toss it out.
He does not say, “This one is too far gone.”
He does not extinguish what is struggling.

He steadies it.
He protects it.
He breathes life into it again.

Some days, our Christian walk feels like we’re burning bright and steady.
But other days… we feel like that smoldering wick.

Life is busier than ever.
Our minds are full.
Our hearts are tired.
Our calling to point others to Jesus gets lost under the weight of distraction, pressure, discouragement, and exhaustion.

Our flame feels small.
Our light feels weak.
And we wonder if we still have anything to offer.

If your flame feels low, hear this clearly—

God is not going to give up on you or replace you.

You may feel bruised, but you are not broken.
You may feel tired, but you are not abandoned.
You may feel dim, but you are not extinguished.

Jesus gently tends to the weary ones.
He restores what feels like it’s fading.
He strengthens the roots you forgot you had.

Your flame may be smoldering—but in His hands, it can burn bright again.

Ephesians 3:16 says, I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit. 

When we are running low, nothing of this world is going to help restore us. Paul reminds us here that it will only come from the power of the Holy Spirit. Verse 20 of that same chapter says that it is HIS power that works in us. 

If you feel like that wick today, here is your reminder:

Return to the Source.
Return to the Root.
Return to the One who refuses to break what is bruised or snuff out what is barely burning.

Let Him strengthen you.
Let Him steady you.
Let Him bring your flame back to life.

Because even the smallest flicker becomes a bright, steady flame when it rests in the hands of a faithful God.