Our house is full of gadgets that make things easier, and I normally love it when something comes along that makes any chore easier. I usually consider it an improvement when I don’t have to exert as much time and energy to get something done. But I’ve noticed in the past few years that there’s at least one area where being easier doesn’t seem so positive.
It appears that I’ve gotten to a stage in life where getting tired takes a lot less effort than it used to. It doesn’t seem that long ago that I’d have to work for hours to get worn out. Now there are some chores that wear me out just thinking about them. That’s probably not a good thing, but at least it gives me an excuse to share some thoughts about dealing with weariness and fatigue, but not in the context we usually think about. Truth is, the physical realm is not the only category where we are subject to exhaustion, and I think it’s a condition worth considering in light of the current global chaos.
Enough Already ~
I’d hazard a guess that most of us already had enough mental and emotional burdens to bear and issues to be concerned with before the October 7 massacre that began Israel’s war with the Hamas terrorists. But since then, we’ve been confronted with heartbreaking images of 
brutality and destruction over there and disturbing news of the repercussions in our own country and around the world. Ignoring it seems irresponsible – and escaping it altogether appears to be virtually impossible – so our minds and hearts are repeatedly confronted with the challenge of how to respond to it all. Small wonder, then, that many of the faces I see these days seem to convey a weariness that isn’t the result of physical exertion. That observation led me to think about the impact of weariness on our lives, especially at a time when there is so much chaos globally, and so many things going on all around us feel like weights laid on our hearts.
As these events unfold, we are likely to be confronted with events and circumstances that will challenge all the mental, emotional, and spiritual reserves we have. Before we find ourselves overwhelmed by it all, preparing for dealing with the additional stress and the kind of weariness that comes with it would be wise. Not surprisingly, God has some things to say on the subject that will help equip us to deal with it. A couple of references come to mind immediately as a good place to start, both of which were penned by the Apostle, Paul:
But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. (2 Thessalonians 3:13 NKJV)
And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. (Galatians 6:9 NKJV)
A Different Kind of Fatigue ~
An admonition not to be weary sounds encouraging to us. After all, we normally don’t wake up in the morning hoping to achieve a state of total exhaustion in the course of our day. Some of us feel naturally geared to avoid as much fatigue as possible anyway. There are exceptions, of course, like those sweaty guys I see at the gym wearing themselves out in a relentless effort to look more impressive. But though weariness and fatigue are most frequently referred to in a physical context, that’s not the only way the condition manifests itself, and neither is it the kind of weariness God’s talking about in the passages above.
Fatigue can be associated with any intense and/or prolonged exertion of energy that depletes 
our reserves in the context of that activity. Given the more sedentary lifestyles characterizing our culture these days, physical exhaustion isn’t the most challenging form of fatigue confronting us. For example, an excerpt from an article highlighting some of the symptoms of emotional fatigue reveals the impact it could have on our own wellbeing and how we relate to the world around us:
“People who are emotionally drained often feel angrier and more irritable than usual. You may start to experience mood swings or find yourself snapping at others. Even minor inconveniences can cause severe frustration. This behavior can damage relationships and lead to social withdrawal.”
A Different Kind of Heart Failure ~
It appears that, all along, God’s primary concerns about weariness had little to do with how tired our bodies may be. His focus always tends to go much deeper than that. In the passages quoted earlier, God is addressing a form of fatigue more potentially damaging than anything
resulting from a hard day’s work. The term Paul used that’s translated as weariness refers more often to a condition described as losing heart (as in Luke 18:1 and II Corinthians 4:1). Rather than simple physical fatigue, we might consider it a case of spiritual heart failure. Losing heart is a reaction associated with feeling hopelessly overwhelmed, despondent, and discouraged. It allows fear to reduce us to a state of spiritual disability and moral cowardice. For followers of Jesus, it’s worse than emotionally draining. It’s virtually debilitating.
In last week’s post, Our Roots Run Deep, I mentioned that this is a crucial time for our nation on many levels. The emotional intensity rooted in that awful morning a couple of weeks ago shows no signs of letting up, and the propaganda war is raging all around us. Whether we actively engage in it or not, our minds and hearts are not immune from the implications of hateful rhetoric pouring out of protesters taking to the streets and the anti-American comments being uttered by some of our elected officials. Many followers of Jesus are feeling a growing sense of spiritual responsibility and are facing the mental and emotional challenges that accompany it.
Keys Worth Considering ~
As the pressures mount on many levels, we must protect ourselves from losing heart and the debilitating internal fatigue that comes with it. Thankfully, God has given us some keys in a story involving one of the Bible’s most well known prophets.
You’ll find the story in I Kings 18-19. Take a few minutes and read the account of Elijah’s confrontation with the prophets of Baal and its aftermath. You’ll notice that the events left Elijah physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually exhausted. Some of the things he did in response can reveal some strategies for us when we’re called upon to handle more than we think we can:
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- A Healthy Detachment – Retreating, for the right reasons, can be energizing. Elijah put some distance between himself and his opponents and put himself in a place that facilitated some one-on-one time with God. That can open the door for the Holy Spirit to reinforce the power of His presence and instill some healing and strengthening shalom in our hearts.
- Rest – Our minds and hearts cannot function effectively if our bodies are totally exhausted. Elijah had been in an epic spiritual battle, of course, but he was also physically depleted, and that had to be addressed before he could move on.
- Nourishment – My gran’pa used to quote an old adage that said “An army travels on its stomach.” Elijah needed more than spiritual strength, so God sent the Angel of the Lord to initiate an early version of DoorDash. Keeping ourselves in shape spiritually includes managing the fuel we put in our body, as well.
- Looking Forward – It was not a time for Elijah to look forward, not to ruminate over what had gone before. A fresh vision can be energizing, and weariness can be an opportune time for shifting our perspective and engaging a fresh mission.
Until the victories come and the carnage of war is over, may God help us to engage the battles He calls us to fight and to protect ourselves from losing heart.
“TWEETABLES” ~ Click to Tweet & Share from the pull quotes below. Each quote links directly to this article through Twitter.
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- “Heartbreaking images of brutality, destruction & disturbing news of repercussions both here & around the world. Our minds & hearts are confronted w/how to respond. Many of the faces I see these days convey a weariness that isn’t the result of physical exertion.” @GallaghersPen (Click here to Tweet)
- “Losing heart – a reaction associated w/feeling hopelessly overwhelmed, despondent, discouraged. It allows fear to reduce us to a state of spiritual disability, moral cowardice. For Jesus followers, it’s not only emotionally draining; it’s virtually debilitating.” @GallaghersPen (Click here to Tweet)
- “As the pressures mount on many levels, we must protect ourselves from losing heart and the debilitating internal fatigue that comes with it. Thankfully, God has given us some keys in a story involving one of the Bible’s most well known prophets.” @GallaghersPen (Click here to Tweet)
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Check out Ron’s book, “Right Side Up Thinking in an Upside Down World ~ Looking at the World through the Lens of Biblical Truth” 
Gallagher's Pen ~ 
I have a witness. Just retired December 2022. Now Ecclesiastes chapter 12 becomes very real. Not losing heart from today’s daily earth shattering events is distinctly challenging. But God is on the Throne and in control, and He will lead us home.
IHS,
Bruce Dittmyre,
Badittmyre@gmail.com
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Oh my, Bruce, it’s such a blessing to hear from you! We’ve had an unusually busy week and my routine has been one of the casualties and I totally missed your comment. Please forgive me for that. My face is smiling as my head reels with memories and praises that we’ve been blessed to share with you and your family. We think about you more often than you may think we would, and we continue to count you as one of God’s special gifts to our lives in many ways. I’m happy to hear about your retirement. I’ve been in that category for a while and can relate to the Eccl. 12 reference. I hope you and Jilla are enjoying your new status and that you find new worlds to conquer and new ways to extend the kind of compassion and help to others like you’ve done for Diane and me. And if you ever want to check out Middle Tennessee, you guys have a room at our house.
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I experienced that feeling of “losing heart” just a day or two ago. It seems that I had been stuffing down all my emotions regarding what was taking place in our world, and not adequately processing them, i.e., praying like all get-out! More prayer and prayerful reflection will go a long way as we struggle during these trying, evil times.
Thank you, Ron, for reminding us here not to lose heart, but to keep our hopes focused on the Lord and what He can do.
Blessings!
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Hearing from you always brings a special dose of heart vitamins, Martha, and I can so relate to what you shared about weariness. One of the things I praise God for is the marvelous capacity of rest to rejuvenate our bodies, and the truth is that the same process works on our emotional apparatus and our spirit. When we pull away for a bit and allow the Spirit of God to sort of stabilize our minds and hearts, it’s amazing how He can restore joy and and a confidence in Him that will re-energize us. Hang in there, my dear sister in Christ–the opposition is daunting, but “greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.”
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Oh brother, so many great points here this week. And so timely. A big AMEN to your point about how we sometimes are not just “physical tired.” For me at least, when I find myself “emotionally tired”, weary as you point out, it affects me physically. In fact, that’s how I recognize my weariness, it manifests itself in my energy level, attitude, and ability to physically perform.
It’s been difficult to, because we humans are like cattle in that we’re naturally curious beings, buy even before the terrorism upon Israel, I had adhered to a self-imposed “News Blackout.” This doesn’t mean that I don’t hear about the news. You can’t be on “anti-social” media without reading about it. The trick is discerning truth from fiction though, like so much else these days, isn’t it? I did this a year or more ago because I recognized that while I can’t, and should not, ignore this world and all that’s happening in it, I CHOOSE not to immerse myself in it list when I was younger. There was a time in my life when it seemed I couldn’t get enough news (Vietnam news, Watergate, the OJ trial, 9/11, the trapped miners in South America, baby Jessica, the list goes on). These days, my heart can’t take that anymore. The sorrow, pain, and suffering I see and hear about takes a toll on me emotionally, and then manifests itself in my life physically. I have enough sorrow, pain, and suffering in my life already and don’t need to add to it by watching more of it.
This isn’t to say that I don’t care what happens in and to this world. I do, my heart breaks with what I do hear and read of what’s going on. And, yes, I cry out in prayerful pleas for the suffering to end. I recognize that while I may be powerless to change it, my God is not. He is allowing these things to happen for His reasons. And while I can’t understand it, I realize He has His reasons.
I guess, I’ve just grown weary of this world my friend. The hatred, lies, hurt, and anger; all of it tries to turn my focus from God. The only way I know to combat the effects of this world in my life is to “live outside of this world.” I do that by trying to spend more time focused on God, His Word, His presence in my life through an active prayer life, and fellowship with His family of faith. If I can spend more time focused on things of God than things of this world, then I find myself experiencing more “good tired” feelings at the end of my day than I do “tired” feelings. There’s a difference my friend.
Wish I could tell you that I’ve achieved that right balance of Word versus world, but I’m still struggling to figure that all out. Yet, your encouraging and uplifting post today sure has my “to the full” this morning my friend. Now, for the sun to rise and let the depletion/draining of my joy begins. Keep “topping up our tanks” throughout the day buddy. I sure appreciate your godly wisdom and counsel. You make life bearable good sir. God’s blessings to you and your better half, the patient, loving, intelligent, beautiful, and affable Ms. Diane.
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I absolutely love the way God has gifted you with at easy, transparent, encouraging way you have of talking to folks that turns out to be powerfully challenging. What you had to say about not totally losing yourself in the parade of pain and grief thrown at us every day is always wise counsel, but in these times, it’s desperately needed. Finding that balance where we are not the walking definition of ignorance but also not wringing our hands and having panic attacks over the latest example of human depravity, or the fear that an FBI swat team is gonna swarm your house because you wore a MAGA hat to a school board meeting, or that a shadowy bunch of evil market manipulators are going to wipe out your retirement. There’s definitely no shortage of stuff to feed any tendency we have for paranoia. As you said so well, all that really accomplishes is to wear us out and make us ineffective at whatever God equipped us and called us to do.
I don’t find myself perched on the balance beam at the right spot all the time (if ever) either, Brother, but at least we’re working toward it. I mentioned to our Saturday morning men’s group earlier today that God never intended compassion to be an exercise in just sitting around feeling awful about someone’s situation. It’s an expression of love that helps us understand what the other person (or persons) are going through, and then to ask ourselves what we can do (if anything) to help. Compassion is a call to action, if the only action we can offer is prayer, then that’s what we do, but if more, then we ought to do it. But to just walk around feeling bad about stuff is not what God wants us to do.
OK–enough going on and on about stuff you already know and could do a better job of expressing. Once again, you have injected a shot of spiritual vitamin E (encouragement, of course) in us this morning. Even though Diane’s liable to expect a lot more out of me today because of it, I’m praising the Lord anyway. And just FYI, you guys have been on our hearts a lot this week, and we’re praying that the Holy Spirit will devote some special healing and empowering attention to both of you in the days ahead.
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Thank you my friend. As I’m so fond of saying, “you get what you give, and you always give me so much to think about, grow with, and praise God for.” You done went and did it again with your grace-filled reply brother. I love how God has brought us together to glorify Him and edify one another. Thank you both for the prayers; much needed this week. I think of my battle with Satan and all his attacks in the way we used to lift each other up in the military when we were facing adversity. “It don’t mean nuthin.” And my other phrase was, “They can kill us, but they cain’t eat us, that’s against the Geneva Convention.” You might slow me down Satan, but the victory is already won old man! Praise God, we are on the winning team my friend; and there’s always room for one more. Have a blessed weekend. I’m off to go buy a new battery for the tractor. Oh, what fun!
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Thumbs up, Buddy–gonna share those phrases when I get around my vet friends at church. It’ll kick off some stories from them that will be fun. Hope your battery mission goes well.
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