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“You have grown weary” (Isaiah 47:13). “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” (Isaiah 40:30-31).
Tiredness is natural.
Tiredness is a natural part of being human. God, the Creator, made us so that our bodies get tired and need time to rest. For this purpose, God provided sleep, for example. Based on the aforementioned key verse from Isaiah 40, we can see that this applies to both older and younger people.
Even in the Bible we can find many examples of people becoming tired. We read that even the Lord Jesus Christ became tired: “So Jesus, tired from the journey, sat down by the well” (John 4:6) . Jesus’ disciples also grew tired while the Master wrestled in prayer: “And he came and found them sleeping. […] And he went away again and prayed, saying the same words. And when he returned, he found them sleeping again, because their eyes were heavy” (Mark 14:37-40) .
The people of Israel, along with King David, grew tired and were glad to find a place where they could rest: “When the king and all the people with him arrived [at a resting place], tired, he refreshed himself there” (2 Samuel 16:14) .
Even Gideon, whom God himself called to deliver the people of Israel from their enemies, grew weary along with his warriors: “When Gideon came to the Jordan, he crossed over with the 300 men who were with him; they were tired, yet they continued the pursuit” (Judges 8:4) .
Spiritual fatigue
It should also be made clear at this point that fatigue is not merely a physical phenomenon. Fatigue also occurs within a person. A person who becomes inwardly weary tends very quickly to give up on everything. If this state of inner weariness continues to take hold, it can even lead to a state of "weariness of life." No matter how earnest a follower and servant of Christ you are, the danger of growing weary is always present.
Even a prophet of God, through whom God worked so wonderfully and whom James presents as an example of faith, grew weary and wanted to die: “He himself went into the wilderness, a day’s journey away, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked for death, saying, ‘I have had enough! Now take my life, O Lord, for I am no better than my ancestors’” (1 Kings 19:4) .
Causes of fatigue
Fatigue can have various causes. It can be due to too many tasks, burdens, and responsibilities placed upon us. “You will grow tired and weary, both you and the people who are with you, because this task is too heavy for you; you cannot accomplish it alone” (Exodus 18:18) . Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, not only saw Moses and the people becoming tired and weary, but he also recognized that the cause was Moses' overload.
Spiritual exhaustion leads, among other things, to persistent fatigue. Motivation and joy in ministry are lost.
Even Moses himself lamented this situation before God: “I cannot carry all these people by myself; it is too heavy for me” (Numbers 11:14) . Unfortunately, we too repeatedly observe in our congregations that members serving in various ministries take on too many responsibilities and consequently become tired and exhausted. It is neither good nor God's will that the same shoulders should always bear so much. This leads to these members being completely drained and exhausted from fatigue.
Jesus spoke of asking the Lord of the harvest for workers (cf. Luke 10:2) . And in Galatians 6:2, Paul points out that we are called to bear one another's burdens in order to fulfill the law of Christ. The example of the prophet Elijah shows us another cause of spiritual exhaustion. Spiritual exhaustion leads, among other things, to persistent weariness. Motivation and joy in ministry are lost.
In Gideon's story, we see what a wonderful victory God gave him in the battle against his enemies. But the struggle itself continued and lasted longer. It wasn't simply a matter of winning a battle. "When Gideon came to the Jordan, he crossed over with the 300 men who were with him. They were tired, yet they continued the pursuit" (Judges 8:4) .
Fatigue is dangerous
It is not without danger to remain in a state of fatigue. During their wanderings in the desert, many of the Israelites grew tired and weak, making them easy prey for the enemy (cf. Deuteronomy 25:17-18) . The Apostle Peter describes our adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion that prowls around seeking someone to devour (cf. 1 Peter 5:8) .
If we observe this example of predators in nature more closely, we can often see that the predators are indeed very good at recognizing, even from a great distance, which of the prey animals in the herd are sick, weak, and tired. And it is precisely these that are attacked.
When tired, we also lose our ability to properly assess things and make poor decisions. The choice Esau made in an exhausted state, for example, had dire consequences for him:
“And Jacob was cooking a stew. Esau came in from the field, exhausted. And Esau said to Jacob, ‘Let me eat this red stew, for I am exhausted!’ Therefore he was called Edom. Then Jacob said, ‘Sell me your birthright today!’ And Esau said to Jacob, ‘Look, I am going to die; what good is the birthright to me?’ Jacob said, ‘Swear to me today!’ And he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew. And he ate and drank, and got up and went away. So Esau despised the birthright” (Genesis 25:29-34) .
Prevention and ways out of fatigue
“But those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength” (Isaiah 40:31) . It is very important to wait on the Lord at any sign of weariness! Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ knows very well the dangers of weariness and weakness, for He warns us: “Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41) . However willing the spirit of a born-again Christian may be, we are still in a weak body and need rest.
Jesus also addressed this issue with his disciples, saying to them: “Come away by yourselves […] and rest a while!” (Mark 6:31) . The Apostle Paul writes in his letters that we are strengthened only in and through Christ: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).
“Finally, my brothers and sisters, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might” (Eph 6:10) .
Look to Christ, so that you do not grow weary!
The writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews calls us all to look to the author and perfecter of our faith, so that we may be preserved from weariness and discouragement:
“Looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:2-3) .
Gideon and his warriors were tired and sought food, bread, and water. Likewise, it is no less important for us to continually nourish ourselves with food, the Word of God, prayer, and the infilling of the Holy Spirit. These are all sources of nourishment given to us by God.
But fellowship with God's children is also important and necessary for us. Not the beaches of this world, but the church should be a refuge for us, where we can not only rest, but also be healed and regain our strength. May God grant that in every church into which God has placed you and me, there will always be brothers and sisters like Aaron and Hur. They held Moses' hands when they grew weary; they did not strike his hands down, but held them up!
Let us follow Christ's call and ask the Lord of the harvest for workers in His harvest field. Here I want to emphasize that Jesus said there is a lack of workers! Not of spectators! Nor of those who always know what needs to be done, but of workers, brothers and sisters, who will lend a hand. In this way, many a faithful servant will be relieved of the burden and prevented from collapsing, weary and exhausted, under the weight of their labor.
Let us strengthen one another, just as Jesus did with Peter: “I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and when you have returned, strengthen your brothers!” (Luke 22:32) .
May our Lord Jesus Christ bless each of us to receive nourishment from spiritual sources and to continue on our way in the strength of this nourishment, until we pass from faith to sight and enter into eternal rest!
If you have become tired – for whatever reason – look to JESUS and be STRONG in the Lord!
Waldemar Heckmann
Municipality of Darmstadt