Friday, March 4, 2011

Are You Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired?


     “The Lord is my Strength and my [impenetrable] Shield; my heart trusts in, relies on, and confidently leans on Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song will I praise Him.” (Psalm 28:7)

     “I’m so tired. I don’t think I’m going to go to church tomorrow,” I whispered to the Lord last Saturday. “I have to go grocery shopping. Wash, blow dry, and curl my hair. And cook dinner,” I reasoned. “If I go to church, I’ll have no energy to do everything I need to do, so I’ll just stay home.”
     Ever feel so tired and weary that you just want to drive your car out of the fast lane, pull over, and put it in park indefinitely? That’s the way I’ve been feeling lately. Worn out from the heavy workload on my job that zaps all of my strength during the week coupled with the tiresome errands I run on the weekends. I got up Sunday morning and decided not to go to church.
      I cooked bacon, eggs, and toast, and made hot tea for my husband and son. We all sat down and ate together and enjoyed each other’s company. All the while, I felt God nudging me to go to church — to the later service. After wrestling with the idea for an hour or so, I changed my mind and got ready to go.
     “Lord, please prepare my heart for your Word this morning,” I prayed. “Minister to me through the worship songs and through your Word, and give me the strength I need to do all that I need to do today, amen.”
     Within minutes after arriving in the sanctuary, God started answering my prayers. He began speaking to me through the worship songs, and when my Pastor preached the Word. He brought additional scripture to mind for me to meditate on all week to renew my strength, and He gave me a great sense of peace. 
      If I hadn’t gone to church, I would have missed these blessings that God had stored up for me. The blessings of His presence, power, comfort, renewed strength, and the peace I so desperately needed to begin a very busy, challenging week. I probably would have gotten everything done that I wanted to get done, but I would have felt empty and even more depleted. Turns out, I didn’t get everything done, but I was able to complete it all by the middle of the week. A small sacrifice, considering the blessings I received from the Lord.
     What I’ve learned is that life will continue to tire you out. But the Lord promises to renew your strength if you trust in, rely on and wait on Him. You can wait on Him anywhere and anyplace, and He’ll be there for you with open arms. Of course, the key to receiving what He has for you is to seek Him with all your heart. In doing so, He will be found.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, when we find ourselves tired and weary from our busy lives, put a desire in our hearts to seek your face, so you can renew our strength, give us your presence, and fill us with peace. In Jesus’ name, amen.

** This post is linked to Spiritual Sundays. 

21 comments:

  1. Wonderful reminder of how sometimes it would be so easy to miss the blessings He has in store for us. Lovely post...bless you.

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  2. Every Saturday, i am dreading Sunday. I guess it is because it is a busy day for me. i get dressed,go pick up residents at the nursing center, take them to church, take them back home, stay for lunch, do communion with the residents, go home, sit for an hour, then go get the residents again, take them for dinner and church, then return them, then come home myself. After all that, I rejoice that church was good and I was glad I carried out the mission God has placed me in. I loved it, yet next Saturday, I will dread it all over again and at night I will be happy that I went.

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  3. I have to admit there are some Sundays every now and then that I feel the need to stay home and rest.I always feel so guilty when that happens and if I missed out. Thank-you for this post today that hit home with me.
    God Bless,
    Ginger

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  4. What a timely post. I have learned that no time with the Lord comes back void. Everything else can wait, but time with him is precious. Have a wonderful weekend.

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  5. Hi Judy,

    This morning during prayer, I thought about something you wrote me recently about your current job and I found myself praying for you; that our Lord would bless you with a position that renews your joy, creativity and passion.

    I think that even during those moments when we feel like pulling over to the side of the road, the Lord renews our hope and confidence.

    Winter is a season when much of nature enters a period of rest; a rest that is necessary. Perhaps the rest you needed was that moment to slow down and enjoy breakfast with your family; not feel guilty about being tired, or sick and tired of being tired. It was in those quiet moments of being with family that you sensed God directing you; not with guilt, but with encouragement.

    Blessings and peace.

    MTJ

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  6. I remember as a young Christian reading the verses in Romans which promise that nothing will separate us from the love of Christ. In among all the scary things, 'life' is listed. Back then I wondered, "How could life ever separate me from God!?" Then I spent some years with life trying to wear me down. Now I better understand the battle, and those small victories, like going to church when I least feel like it, mean so much to me! . . . Thanks for this post. I'm visiting from Spiritual Sunday. Blessings!

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  7. good post...good reminder.....and I love the little cartoons on your sidebar. ☺

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  8. Such a good reminder, Judy, of where our strength truly comes from. Sometimes, we can only catch our breath at His feet - and we must run there, even when we're tired.

    He gives us strength when we are weary, He helps us walk when we are faint - He gives us wings like eagles...

    GOD BLESS!

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  9. This really speaks to me this evening. Thank you.

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  10. Amen! A big AMEN!

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  11. I understand how you felt. Being a pastor's wife there were times when I felt like I was just too tired to go to a Wednesday night or Sunday night service. (in the old days every church we were associated with had all these plus Sunday morning and a weekly Women's Bible class) plus other special days. I found that even though I was very tired, that I was always renewed by going and when I got back home I was less tired than before I went. Thank you for sharing your heart here with us today.
    Blessings,
    Charlotte

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  12. I could so relate to this post Judy. Time in His presence brings a freshness.

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  13. You are so right. Sometimes the devil uses our tiredness against us when he knows we're on the verge of a blessing. Thank you, I needed this reminder today.

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  14. You hit that nail right on the head! Wow! I feel so drained often but the Lord manages to muster up my strength to do what must be done. Glad I am here today.

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  15. You may never know how much good your very practical, down to earth post will do. But I have the strong feeling that you words will speak volumes to many who read your words. You have shared from your daily life and your heart and God will use your words to help many.

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    Replies
    1. I am one that has been helped, feeling burned out. This post gave me enough strength to do my devotion, and lean on the LORD. GOD bless you all.

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  16. You have a beautiful blog and wonderful truth to share. I appreciate you coming by my blog and encouraging me with your kind comments. I have the same camera as you but you are a more experienced photographer than I am...I need some lessons. :) Your photos are fabulous!

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  17. Ahhhhh, to see HIS face... WOW doesn't even describe how that will be ... Thanks soooo much for stopping by my art blog and for your words.. I do try already to pray before creating. I just need to pray it even more..
    You're a JOY and Delight Sis... Wonderful post as always...
    May you wake each day with God's blessing,and grace.
    Sleep each night with His keeping,
    safe in His loving arms.
    And~~~ May you always walk in His tender care and mercy.
    Prayers and Hugs~~~Dena

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  18. Hi Judy, I missed you too! Thanks for always keeping it real. In my case it's usually the opposite however. I look forward to Sundays as the highlight of my week. I get so drained during the week that on Sundays I'm running to the house of the Lord and looking forward to a nap afterwards. I FIGHT to make it a day of rest so I don't do chores on Sunday. I don't have kids and I'm not married which may make that fight a little more difficult for you. But I currently live with my sister and her 3 children and I'm tempted to get into that cycle, but again it's a fight.

    I grew up in the islands and in a Christian household where on Sundays, everyone took a nap after lunch on Sunday and then went to evening service. I've fought to continue the tradition. Even in college, when I had papers due on Monday or a big exam, I refused to study on Sunday. When I was in full-time ministry I still found a way to rest up afterwards. But it's been a life long practice and something I will fight to continue when I am married with children- God willing. :-)

    Having said all that however, I do get sick and tired of being sick and tired of the weightiness of life on a weekly basis and the mid-week services have been more of a challenge for me to attend.:-) But I find the times that I have to press my way through the most to make it are the times that God has something special to say to me.

    Thanks for your timely post. It's always great to hear from you.

    Beverly

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  19. Amen! Nice post! Let us not let the enemy steal our joy and make us feel tired in doing good for others, serving God and in following Christ...

    Found your blog at faithfulbloggers! I'll be following you here in blogger... God bless you

    http://todrawneargod.blogspot.com/

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  20. When you get to be my age being tired is just a part of life. Finding my strength in the Lord is a must :-)

    Take care Judy and have a great weekend :-)

    ~Ron
    *******

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