Tired

As the nights are drawing in and the mornings are getting darker, I find myself feeling increasingly tired and less satisfied with the amount of sleep I've had.  And it feels as though there's more to do and more to try and cram in to the time I've got.

 

Life seems to take more effort and more energy in the winter.

 

Perhaps it's because naturally we feel that we ought to start hibernating, doing less and resting more. 

 

But there is always so much to do.  And so little time in which to do it.  And it's at times like these I wish I had just an extra hour or two in the day so that I could stay on top of things and not feel exhausted.

 

But the Bible tells us that when we are weary and worn-out, God will always refresh us and restore our energy.  He will give us the strength to keep going:

 

        "[God] doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch his breath.
        And he knows everything, inside and out.
        He energizes those who get tired,
        gives fresh strength to dropouts.
        For even young people tire and drop out,
        young folk in their prime stumble and fall.
        But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.
        They spread their wings and soar like eagles,
        They run and don’t get tired,
        they walk and don’t lag behind."

 

         [Isaiah 40:29-32 MSG]

 

But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.

 

When I'm pressed for time and have a lot to get done, the last thing I feel like doing is waiting.  For anyone.  It makes me irritable and cross and annoyed, and I don't usually hide these feelings.

 

But perhaps it is when we feel most pressurised, most anxious, most overwhelmed with everything that there is to do, and the lack of energy that we have, that we should turn to God and wait for Him to refresh us.

 

And somehow, paradoxically, the more time we spend on Him, resting in His presence and waiting for Him to reveal Himself, the more time and energy we will find we have, to get everything else done.

 

Those who wait upon God get fresh strength.