Last night right before I fell to sleep I said to Kelly, “I’m tired.” To which she said, “That’s good, maybe you’ll sleep well tonight.” What she meant was, it’s a good thing to be tired, since you’re in bed and ready to go to sleep. But, what I meant was I was tired of the way things are. I am tired of not knowing. I’m tired of believing and not seeing results. I’m tired of not having money. I’m tired of not having our own house. I’m tired of the daily routines that life sometimes demands. I’m tired of not knowing who my true friends really are. I’m tired of trying and exploring everything I know to do and to no avail. I’m tired of COVID and masks. I’m tired of not knowing what all of this even means or where it will all end. I’m tired of political agendas and social injustice and societal unrest. I’m tired of issues and acts that are a defilement and gross perversion being ok. I’m tired!
Now, as you can see, this may be the most vulnerable post I’ve ever written and posted and, in many ways it is somewhat therapeutic. However, I’m sure that there are people reading this that are tired too. When you’re tired it changes everything. It changes your mood and your perspective. It can even diminish your faith and make things appear bigger and worse than they truly are. I remember when the girls were little and they would get tired, nothing would satisfy them, until they found rest. They would become fussy and unsettled and someone would always say, “What’s wrong.” And Kelly and I would always answer, “They’re just tired.” Nonetheless, they always found comfort and rest on our lap or by laying on our shoulder. I wonder what would happen if we could find comfort and rest in coming to our Heavenly Father when we are tired, weary, or worn. What if we found rest in Him alone. Not in answered prayers, finances, homes, retirement, careers or secured futures, not in our agenda being fulfilled or not even knowing what the future holds, but in Him alone. As a side note, a meme I created a year ago came up in my Facebook memories today, thats right, the morning after I told Kelly last night, I’m tired. It was the scripture from Matthew 11:28: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” I think it was a divine reminder that when I come to Him, I can find rest. And, I want to remind you, that when you come to Him, you can find rest also.
However, I’m also learning that true rest doesn’t usually come from more sleep. Actually, the weariness I’m referring to is more about fatigue that is caused from frustration, not from a lack of sleep. It’s being drained of energy and being worn down because of external circumstances or, from internal perceptions that have created disappointments. In other words, my being tired is derived form external scenarios and dilemmas. With that being said, there has to be a peace that’s internal that empowers us to not grow weary in well doing. This internal peace can only be anchored by the Word of God and given through the Holy Spirit. I’ve been so fatigued with frustration that I couldn’t sleep or find rest. I don’t believe that this is God’s plan or His best for us, His children. Psalm one hundred twenty seven verse two, tells us that we shouldn’t toil in vain and that He gives His beloved rest. And, in the New Testament it records Jesus in a boat during a storm that was so bad, the disciples, whom several of them were fisherman, fisherman that were used to boats, water and storms, thought they were going to die, while Jesus was asleep resting.
Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.” This scripture is a scripture of promise, but the promise is contingent upon what I do. He will keep me in perfect peace if my mind is *stayed (*to lean or lay upon, to lean against, to rest upon) on Him, because I trust in Him. So, I will have peace when my mind is resting upon who He is, and I will have peace and rest upon who He is, because I trust in Him. We are to come to Him, find rest in Him, and trust Him. This is where true rest can be found for a tired, weary and worn soul.
In closing I want to leave you with this scripture:
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:28-30 MSG
