When You Are Tired . . .

Yesterday I was tired;  The church’s budget is tight, people I care about are struggling, I had not slept well the night before, and yes;  it’s winter time. (When it is cold, icy, and skies are gray – every problem looks bigger to me.)  My fatigue led me to waste time in fantasy; “What if I were somewhere else, doing something else?” Yes, I admit it:  sometimes I slip into daydreams about an easier assignment in life. It is an escapist thing, and I don’t linger long in that fantasy land. It is a waste of time to do so!

Do you tire of the battle sometimes?  

Has some small problem come along  only to  become the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back?

Are you saying to yourself, “I’m fed up, done with this. I quit!”?

“I quit” is very tempting when we’re tired, when we have more problems than solutions, when too many things pile  up.  But, remember this – every quit must be followed by a ‘start’ and each time we start over, we have new mountains to climb. I suppose it is simplistic, but when I’m ready to throw in the towel I do a little self-talk and remind myself of two things:  problems are everywhere and it’s not heaven yet!

·         Marriages end sometimes because somebody get tired of dealing with all the little stuff.  It’s not some major failure like abuse or infidelity, it’s just battle fatigue that  breaks the covenant.  

·         People leave a promising career, not because their passion changes but because they find their supervisor intolerable, or they feel that they are not valued, or they get bored. “I quit,” sounds like a solution but on the other side of they find financial hardship or another situation with another set of challenges.  

·         Christian leave their church, not because there is heresy or major issues, but because they have a disagreement with a leader or their Pastor is going through a dry stretch and is boring to them.  They fail to think of the friendships they are leaving behind and the commitments to ministry they have made.

    

Perseverance is a quality of mature Christians. In my fatigue, the Spirit pointed me to this reminder- "Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." (Hebrews 10:34-36, NIV)

The Bible speaks often about things such as patience, endurance, and longsuffering. Paul pushed through real hardship. Jesus got tired and so did His disciples. But, they did not quit. James says "Take the old prophets as your mentors. They put up with anything, went through everything, and never once quit, all the time honoring God. What a gift life is to those who stay the course! You’ve heard, of course, of Job’s staying power, and you know how God brought it all together for him at the end. That’s because God cares, cares right down to the last detail." (James 5:10-11, The Message)

The kingdom of God needs people who show up even when they don’t feel like it, who do what they’re called and equipped to do – faithfully and effectively - even when they’re bored or exhausted.  Christ needs steady men and women who are willing to say: “God called me. My feelings are secondary to my commitment. I’ll serve, I’ll stay, I’ll love – so help me God!” Those kind of disciples are key players, incredibly valuable, and the ones who get things done for God, often quietly and without accolades – but it matters little, for they serve for the joy of obedience, not for applause or even self-fulfillment.

Here’s some of the best encouragement you will ever get on the subject of commitment and endurance. "Since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne." (Hebrews 12:1-2, NLT)

Are you considering quitting-
your covenant with your spouse,
disciplining that teenage rebel who wears you down,

your ministry that seems to be fruitless right now,
a relationship that is hard,
your church?

Pray about it and tell the Lord how you feel. Your emotions are real, so don’t deny them. Then, listen carefully for the Spirit’s counsel. “Run with endurance!”

The word from the Word is an amazing promise for the weary, the battered, the bruised who remain faithful to the Lord: “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, “they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:14-17, NIV)

____________

Am I a soldier of the cross,

A follower of the Lamb.

And shall I fear to own His cause,

Or blush to speak His name?

Sure I must fight if I would reign,

Increase my courage, Lord:

I'll bear the toil, endure the pain,

Supported by Thy Word.

And when the battle's over
We shall wear a crown!

Yes, we shall wear a crown!
Yes, we shall wear a crown.

And when the battle's over,
We shall wear a crown

In the new Jerusalem.

When The Battle's Over

Watts, Isaac / Waters, Harriette / Lind, A.E.© Public Domain