“Come unto Me all who are weary . . and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:29 NIV.
Life is exhausting when you do not know when or where you will find true rest.
My thoughts and comments today are about, “tired of being tired.”
Vince Lombardi, famed coach of the Green Bay Packers said, “Fatigue makes cowards of us all.” Fatigue affects everything you feel and do, both your attitudes and actions. Everyone knows what it means to feel tired – tired of working, tired of responsibilities, tired of bills, tired of problems, or tired of conflict. You are never at your best physically, emotionally, mentally or spiritually, when weary. Weariness makes everything harder, only adding further to your tiredness; even things you would find easy are more taxing when already tired. Life is exhausting when you do not know when or where you will find true rest. Eventually, you just feel tired of being tired.
I think that even things you want to do can be tiring, and the worst tiredness is not just physical. There is a weariness of soul that is worse. “So don’t get tired of doing what is good. Don’t get discouraged and give up, for you will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time.” Galatians 6:9. Keep your goals and objectives clearly in focus, remembering why you are doing what you are doing and with expectation that reward and satisfaction will follow proper completion.
You were created to be fruitful and productive but also, God wisely built into your emotional and spiritual DNA the requirement for rest, “Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest; in plowing time and in harvest you shall rest.” Exodus 34:21. Planting and harvest would seem the least likely times to seek the luxury of down time. But God says that, both when preparing the soil for planting and when finally reaping the harvest from your efforts, you need to observe the Sabbath principle of rest. The Sabbath principle is not optional; God commanded, ”Remember the Sabbath, to keep it holy.” Exodus 20:8. Ignore that at your own peril.
When truly tired, you will be more negative about situations, more prone to see problems rather than solutions. When tired, motivation is difficult, and hopefulness is elusive. You will be less patient with yourself and others, poor company for those around you. Distinguish things that unnecessarily weary you. Worry, unmet needs, unfinished work, personal conflict, unforgiveness, sinfulness (See Isaiah 57:20-21 NKJV), discouragement, or unrelenting busyness will always deplete your personal, inner resources, unless you choose to live by God’s counsel. Bring them all to Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath. “Thou hast made us for Thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in Thee.” St Augustine, 4th Century.
Are you finally tired of being tired? Rest is found, not in a place, but in a Person. “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened . . and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-30 NIV. The Bible says, “Return to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you . . Those who wait upon God get fresh strength; they run and don’t get tired; they walk and don’t lag behind.” Psalm 116:7 NKJV/Isaiah 40:31 MSG.
Today, my prayer for you is that you know when and where to find true rest for your soul.
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