TIRED? REST IN ME
I AM TIRED, I AM EVEN TIRED OF GETTING TIRED, HELP LORD I AM TIRED, how many of you can say that you are tired, I mean really tired?
I want you all to think of a time in your life when you were completely exhausted, that moment when your tank was empty, depleted and had nothing left to give. Recall the feelings, the emotions.
That is physical tiredness, or have you ever had those times where at the end of the day, it seems that your brain shuts down, and you don’t remember things?
That is mental tiredness, or have you ever felt so drained to the point where you feel numb, like hearing of a close death or a funeral?
That is emotional tiredness, are you tired?
Do you feel like you need some more strength?
As humans we know that we are made up of three parts, body, mind and soul, Deut 6:5 says that we shall love the Lord God with all we have, however, if we are tired, would it not become a spiritual tiredness?
So, I have some good news for you, just because you are tired, it does not mean that you are weak!!!
One bible verse comes to my mind at this moment; Matthew 11:28-30
Come to me, all you who labour and are burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and my burden is light."
No matter how tired you feel, maybe you are stuck in a vicious circle, the way forward is not clear, and you are ready to give up, just keep pressing forward and choose hope, it will always be there when you put your trust in Him.
Think about what you are waiting for, are you tired of waiting for something or is it the actual wait, you will have to remember that in the waiting, God is there, His purpose for your life is there, and God will always lead you somewhere. Ok so now, you are thinking, great, thanks Pastor, I know my road is with God however in the meantime where will my energy, hope and maybe some rest come from?
Can we agree that everything belongs to God, every sleeping moment, every waking moment, so, why rest?
Rest helps us recover from our labour, it is a way to recharge
Rest shows our dependence on God, you are not God
Rest encourages us to enjoy God, if not rested, we are restless
Rest helps build relationships with others, worship, fellowship
TIRED? LEAN ON GOD, HE RESTED
HOWEVER, THE TIREDNESS I WANT TO LOOK AT, IS ONE THAT PEOPLE DO NOT SPEAK ABOUT:
I mean when we are tired physically it affects us in all areas, you might be tired of being single, being married, tired of paying bills, tired of stressing at month end, but what about being tired emotionally, mentally, and on top of that, there is another tiredness, another weariness…
Let us look at the bible passage: John 4:4-6
John 4:4 But He needed to pass through Samaria. Therefore He came to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near the piece of land which Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob's well was there. Therefore Jesus, having become tired from the journey, was sitting thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
How are you really, inside?
Samaria was a despised town, one to be avoided, many fights between the Jews and the Samaritans, and there was such hatred amongst them, so much that people walked the long way around to avoid it. Yet Jesus walked through it, as it was the path of His purpose, He was tired, and He stopped to sit at a well.
His disciples went to get food, while He sat. Now, this does not make sense to us, He is God, yet we forget he was but man, doing the will of His Father, we forget that in his humanity, Jesus got tired. Sometimes we just have to send people away, to give us space, is that not what we do?
While sitting at the well, he engaged with a Samaritan woman, an enemy of a Jew and asked her for water, which by the way she gave him.
Sometimes the reason why we are tired is that we are trying to work around what God is trying to bring us straight into, you are walking the long way around and God wants to bring you through it, how much longer are you going to carry on doing it?
So the important thing is here, is what well are you sitting by? Whom are you avoiding? What are you avoiding?
Listen God put you where He wanted you, yes many of us have done detours, turned around, and hit speedbumps, and potholes… let me tell you this, and some of the battles you are fighting started long before you finally got there.
What wells are we sitting by when we are tired? Some of the wells we sit by only make us more tired, more dehydrated, (like social media, like gossip).
Are we sitting by Jesus, the Living water, and allowing Him to restore our tired souls and bodies, you see this tiredness comes from the inside, the very core of you.
Are you saying I am tired?
I know lately, I am worn out, emotionally exhausted, I am tired yet just to stop, rest in Him. I am obedient to the Lord, my Saviour, I do when He calls and in that, I see or learn something else. When you sit with God, you will see with God, sit by the well that has living water.
We find ourselves in an age where we need more of God yet we don’t take the time to sit with Him, and maybe, just maybe that verse is so important, “you will find rest for your souls”
Isaiah 40:31
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint.
Dear Weary One (unknown)
I hear you sigh, and I see your slumped shoulders, like you I am weary. I daily cry out to God for help. I seek the Lord while waiting on Him and somehow I discover that God renewed my strength. So, I pray that God strengthens you in body, soul and spirit, and may you take time to sit by the well with Jesus, the Living Water today. And as you wait in trust and faith for the Lord, may He renew your strength for another day, manna for today. Remember you may be weary but you are not weak, waiting with you, blessings
Amen
