Two Kinds of Tired…One Kind of Rest

Let’s talk spiritual fatigue and it’s simple remedy.

We all get mentally and spiritually exhausted from life. Spiritual fatigue is real. The way I see it, there are two kinds of “tired.” One is a deep-rooted spiritual fatigue.

First, there’s the “tired” you have at the end of a long, drawn-out day.

You know how it is, your limbs are heavy, your mind is cluttered and you long for an opportunity to just…collapse.

That type of “tired” is remedied by nothing less than a good night’s sleep and the absence of an annoying alarm clock waking you in the morning.

Then, there is another kind of “tired” too. This tiredness is more like spiritual fatigue.

It originates from something much deeper inside.

It’s the result of weeks, months, and sometimes years of hardship, distress, and heartache. Those things wear on you over time.

It gnaws at your spirit to the point of anxiety and little by little it chips away at your hope for the future. It depletes you; it exhausts you. It drains you.

You need rejuvenation and you need it badly.

What spiritual fatigue feels like…

It becomes increasingly difficult to be optimistic when you’re mired in this type of “tired”.

Your mind seems to reel all the time. Relief seems far away. Inaccessible.

Your spirit feels heavy and overcome with dogged spiritual fatigue.

It may seem like your best days are far behind you. The enemy of your soul may tell you that, but don’t believe it. It’s a temporary rough patch. That’s all.

Sadly, you can’t hide this “tired” very well either. It is evident to the outside world. Evidence of it slips out. It comes through your social pores.

It shows in how you carry yourself physically, respond to agitation, and even betrays you by revealing a sort of dimness in your eyes.

Have you ever seen someone smile with their lips while their eyes were filled with sadness?

Seeing spiritual fatigue in others…

They were likely “tired” spiritually.

They may have endured all they could possibly endure and now their spiritual needle is pointing to empty.

A hug does little to help, efforts to self-medicate are useless; they’re just too …”tired”.

This is the type of tired poet Maya Angelou referenced in her poem entitled “The Mask”. Skip to 3.07 and hear it’s power. Click below.

That sort of tiredness scarcely compares to our often physical tiredness. Maya Angelou speaks of a tired wrought by unimaginable oppression, hate and wicked bias.

Still, we get tired too.

What causes this type of fatigue…

We get tired of being treated badly.

Mistreatment makes us all “tired”, right? When people don’t appreciate our gifts after we render our best, we can grow “tired”.

They take us for granted.

When we are waiting on a blessing that seems never to come; we grow “tired”.

When people disappoint us time and time again; tiredness develops. Nothing else to give. Spent. Done. That’s where we find ourselves.

But, beautiful Christian woman, there is hope.

There is a spiritual “nap” for the soul and it really does work!

It lies in connecting with the “Rock that is higher than I” (Read Psalm 61).

Hear my cry, O God,
    listen to my prayer;
² from the end of the earth I call to you
    when my heart is faint.
Lead me to the rock
    that is higher than I,
³ for you have been my refuge,
    a strong tower against the enemy.

The next time you begin to feel the “tired” in your soul, still the moment, stop the world and refresh yourself from the Well that never runs dry.

Only then will you be able to hear that ‘still small voice’ that brings you solace and respite.

In that quiet place, you gain fresh perspective and spiritual nourishment. The horrible seems less so because it pales in comparison to Jesus Christ!

I was mentally and spiritually exhausted from life

I had a tired moment just a few nights ago.

After I had done all I needed to do for the evening, I snuck upstairs to my bedroom and closed the door.

Fortunately, my husband and the guys were downstairs. I was blissfully alone.

There’s something about time alone with Him. It’s wonderful!

Yes, the solace was rejuvenating. The quietness slowed my heartbeat and I just thought about the goodness of the Lord and His love for me.

I am so glad I didn’t run to the phone to call a friend to lament.

Friends can do nothing for that kind of “tired”.

Instead, I sat on the floor to bow my body and spirit and just inhaled and exhaled before a loving and living God. My heavenly Father.

Let Alvin Slaughter minister to you and pray for you. This is one of my favorite songs for my spiritual tired times.

I prayed …mentally and spiritually exhausted from life. I just prayed.

I invited the peace of the Holy Spirit into my “tired”, spiritually fatigued moment.

I thanked Him for comfort, rest and joy – some of which I hadn’t fully felt yet. But, I knew He’d deliver.

In faith, I said thanks as I prayed. I expressed gratitude for His fellowship and my access to a most Holy God.

I praised Him for His Word that repeatedly supplies comfort to my “tired”, thirsty soul.

Oh yeah! The Bible is perfect for spiritual fatigue.

Then, there is Psalms!

Oh, there is nothing like Psalms when you feel exasperated.

Sometimes, you’ll have to search until you find the “right” one to speak to your heart.

But, never fear: it’s there. Holy Spirit will guide you to it. Another spirit will try to pull you from it. Ignore that “spirit”.

The one that tempts you to lay in bed, depressed and defeated is not of God. No! Turn to the Lord in worship, gratitude and fellowship with His Word.

I felt so much better after I did that…after I had that moment.

When I rose to my feet, I could feel the burden had lifted and I once again, I had a flowing stream replace my spiritual desert.

I literally exhaled. Have you ever felt that sort of release?

My problems may not have gone away, but my focus was no longer on them.

They seemed small and insignificant in light of my mighty God.

The point of all this: find peace in the presence of God when you feel at the end of your rope.

Spend time alone with Him to refresh your spirit and reinvigorate your soul.

Stay before Him until there is that release in your soul I referenced. Be patient. Don’t give up.

Wait on the Lord.