Probably one of the biggest reasons I hear from people for their poor attitudes, their lack of motivation, their inattentiveness, and their stress (among lots of other things) is that they are tired. I know it's one of my go-to excuses. I'm tired. Or hungry. That's another excuse. Hangriness is something I fight regularly. But I digress - 'tired' is what I want to address today.
So how many times a day, how many things in our life, do we give little to know effort because we're just too tired? What is it that is sucking most of our energy. What gets our best effort (or, at least, the best we can give that day) and what falls through the cracks? It's all rhetorical, so just think about it. You don't have to answer. I know my answers though. My answers aren't something I'm too proud of either.
But alas, I'm still tired. Not always in a "I need more sleep" kind of tired, but just totally over whatever it is I know I need to be doing. Suddenly doing nothing is all I have the energy to do. Then things don't get done and I get frustrated and stressed.... and feel even more tired. It's a viscous cycle. I get snippy with people because things aren't going how I want, but I'm also not putting in the work necessary to make sure those things are done. Why? You guessed it, because I'm too tired. No one wins. Everyone is affected negatively by it. I get more and more frustrated. All those feelings get misplaced onto other things and I just spread it around. My marriage suffers from my tiredness. My kids suffer from my tiredness. My work suffers from my tiredness. My friendships suffer because I'm tired. My quiet time with God suffers from my tiredness. Ouch. That's a lot of suffering just because I'm tired. Am I alone in this or are you nodding along as you read this?
We're ALL tired though, right? Yet some people can just keep on chugging along. They are the little engine that could. Go, go, go. They are tired, they probably catch a nap when they can, but they are very aware of the work necessary to stay on top of the tiredness. They do what it takes to not let it consume them and alter their true joys in life. On my best weeks, I'm totally that person! The rest of the weeks though, not so much.
I love Isaiah 40:28-31
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. They will soar on
wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and
not be faint.
Even youth. Even carefree, young, healthy, free youth get tired. We ALL get tired. Love that acknowledgement in this text. But wait! There's more! It gets better! We all get tired, we all stumble and fall...... but the Lord will renew our strength. This doesn't mean one quick prayer is going to suddenly turn us into the energizer bunny. This isn't talking about physical tiredness. It simply means that when our focus is Him, when we remember the WHY of our everyday lives , even when we do get tired we can find strength in continuing to move forward. I know that on my most exhausted days, when I genuinely feel like I can't do a single thing more for myself yet alone anyone else - the moment I am reminded that so many things in my life are a blessing and a calling from God Himself - I suddenly find just that little bit more energy to push through. Or at the very least, to not be a horrid hag to everyone around me while I take a breather.
It's okay to be tired. It's not okay to let it define you. It's not okay to let neglect the most important things in life. It's not okay to stop doing the Lord's work (be it personal, family, or ministry callings) and negatively affect your witness just because you're pooped. The Lord is our strength. How can I ever feel tired when I think of that?! I feel super energized just talking about it! I get to do the Lord's work! Be that working at the schools and being a light in lives I may never know are impacted. Be that sitting in a meeting to sort through some details to help church run smoothly. Be that putting down my 'to-do list' and playing a card game with my kids. Tired? I've got the Almighty God on my side ALL of the time, cheering me on like a proud father, rejoicing in my wins and comforting me in my losses! Who's tired now?
