Fatigue

Wow, life has been busy lately. All good stuff but very busy. I’ve spent time with good friends, got a few projects taken care of around the church, enjoyed a date night with my wife and had a great Sunday service. The worship was exceptionally good. Corporately we seemed to go to a deeper, more intimate place with the Lord, had a powerful ministry time and then lunched with other friends.

There’s good tired and bad tired, at least in my book. Good tired is more productive than bad tired. This past week has been a good tired, but tired nonetheless. A few years ago the Lord spoke to my heart and told me that “fatigue was my enemy”. Over the years this has proven to be very accurate. I’ve learned a few things about myself, when I’m physically weary I tend to:

* Have a more difficult time extending grace to others or myself.
* I seem to be more critical and less patient.
*I tend to make poor decisions when I’m tired. I’m more inclined to make decisions born of my soul than by the Spirit.
* I’ve also notice that I’m more apt to complain, whine might be close to the truth.

Jesus said that “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit”. I’ve also noticed that when I’m fatigued I produce more flesh than spirit. Maybe you’ve noticed the same things about yourself?

I’ve heard it said that “rest is a weapon”. I’m not sure who coined the phase but it rings true. Our culture values activity over rest. Almost everyone I know has a palm pilot or day-timer over filled with demands upon their time, mine included. We don’t do rest very well at all. After many rounds with an over booked schedule and it’s close companion fatigue I’ve learned a few lessons.

First of all I’ve learned to rest when I can. Mine isn’t a typical 9-5 job, 60 hour plus work weeks are common for me. That being the case, I’ve learned to enjoy the down time when I can get it. Rest truly is a weapon. It’s especially powerful when I combine it with the presence of God. Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know I am God” says it well. I’ve had many supernatural experiences by employing the simple truth in this short verse.

The second lesson I’ve learned is when rest eludes me and fatigue has over taken me, is to simply keep my mouth shut. The critical and judgmental thoughts might swirl through my mind but they do not have the right to come out of my mouth. Proverbs 17:28 puts it this way: “Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue”. I’ve discovered that one of the best ways to put out a fire is to stop throwing logs on it. Sometimes, my words born of fatigue have been nothing more then one more log on the fire.

So, take my advice, if fatigue is also your enemy – shut up and rest!

© Tom Zawacki 2006