What Jesus Offers for Your Kind of Tired

Forty-five minutes into a baby shower on Saturday, I experienced an overwhelming fatigue and felt almost physically ill because I was so tired. It had been building all day. Thankfully, I was sitting by the back door. I slipped out, drove home, and crawled into bed for the next two hours.
Matt and I had been moving along in the adventure of our new church, getting to know people and taking on a new level of work that we had never experienced before. It was all wonderful and happy for me, but on Saturday my mind and body said to me, “And that’s enough.” Even after taking it easy all afternoon and evening, the next day I woke up and was still exhausted and weepy.
“Do you need to stay home from church?” Matt asked.
“I’ve seriously thought about it,” I said through drippy tears.
But I love church too much to stay home, so I got dressed and prayed, “Help me, Jesus.” Off we went.
The music started, and do you know what we sang about and what Scriptures we read aloud together?
The joy of the Lord is your strength. (Nehemiah 8:10)
The LORD is the everlasting God,
The Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary.
(Isaiah 40:28)
Even youths grow tired and weary,
And young men stumble and fall;
But those who hope in the LORD
Will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
They will run and not grow weary,
They will walk and not be faint.
(Isaiah 4:30-31)
I wept my way through the singing, but it wasn’t because I was tired.
Here are some lessons I want to offer you from this experience:
Go to church every week.
When you honor God by going to worship him on Sunday morning, especially when you least feel like it and staying in bed sounds a whole lot better, he will be there waiting for you. Many of my most beautiful experiences with God have been when I’ve dragged my weary self to church when I would have loved to stay home. You need to go meet God at church.
Pray for what you need.
I told Jesus I was tired and that I needed help, and he helped me. The rest of that Sunday I was so full of energy and played with my grandsons for three hours. Without a doubt, that was God’s own energy poured into me, because I had been running on fumes all weekend.
Jesus sees you.
If you’re tired, he knows it. The only thing more exhausting than physical, mental, and emotional fatigue is if you feel totally alone in it. You’re not alone. You’re not invisible.
Jesus fills up lack.
When we’re tired, we just need to stop and rest. That’s why observing the Sabbath is a command. But sometimes we’re tired and we’re in a season in which we cannot rest. For us, it’s getting new work up and running at our church, and there are things that just have to be done right now because they’re so urgent. Or maybe you’re caring for an aging parent, and you are IT and you can’t even go to church. Or maybe you have two little boys at home, and you can’t not take care of them just because you’re at the end of yourself. These are circumstances in which you feel like you can’t keep going, and you need an external source of strength that does not run out. Jesus has come to give us abundant life, and that means right now in today’s hard. He will literally give you what you do not have.
So, if you’re bone tired, there is help. To power through on your own is to ignore God. Forget the pull-yourself-up-by-your-own-boot-straps mentality; that kind of thinking is for those who don’t know the living God. Be poor and weak and needy and let Jesus display his splendor in your life.
Thank you so much for sharing with us what the Lord is teaching you!
You’re welcome!
This was very timely for me! Thank you!!!
You’re welcome. God is so good to give us what we need at the perfect time.
Your blog is a constant source of inspiration for me. Your passion for your subject matter is palpable, and it’s clear that you pour your heart and soul into every post. Keep up the incredible work!
You encourage me. Thank you!!
“Be poor and weak and needy and let Jesus display his splendor in your life.” I love this so much! ???? Jesus is so sweet; the sweetest part of my life, for sure! Thank you, sister! ????
It’s beautiful truth from the book of Isaiah. He is sweet, indeed.
Oh man Christy!
This is your cousin from Minnesota and I sure needed this encouragement today.
I was just about at the end of my last nerve and patience strand and about ready to throw in the towel. But God. So after a heavy cry and a pleading prayer, some sleep. I awoke early and had the most rejuvenated next day, praise our sweet loving Father. He restores the broken hearted and His justice reigns. Cranked up the praise music today and just spent the day in worship while doing chores. He never fails….. thanks for the encouragement!
You’re welcome! I’m sorry you were as tired as I was. Seems I never keep needing to learn that he has what I need. Love you so much!
Christy, I just want you to know how much I appreciate your blog and your ‘realness’. I can relate to so much. that you post. Thank you!
You’re very encouraging. Thank you for the kind note.