When You’re Tired

Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always (1 Chronicles 16:11, NIV).

Monday: Work 9:00–5:00. Leave work, drive to Lexington in rush hour traffic. Arrive at next location to give presentation from 6:00–7:00 p.m. Drive home. Shower. Eat. Finish notes from workday. Bed at 10:30 p.m.

Tuesday: Work 7:00–5:00. Rush home. Change. Drive to high school for the end of softball practice. Walk over to high school library for post-practice meeting until 7:30 p.m. Home to shower and change before meeting friends for supper and to watch UK basketball game at 9:00 p.m. Drive home. Bed at midnight. Wednesday: Get up and drive to Lexington for 8:30 a.m. appointment. Run errands. Drive to friends’ house for late breakfast. Spend several hours writing. Home to change. Work in the afternoon until 5:00 p.m. Thursday: Work 7:00–5:00. Rush home and change. Drive to high school for softball inter-squad scrimmage until 7:30 p.m. Leave high school and head home to shower. Drive to friends’ house to work on project until 10:30 p.m. Drive home. Bed at 11:30 p.m. Friday: Work 8:00–5:00. Home to shower and change. Meet friends for dinner. Work on project until 11:00 p.m. Bed at midnight. Saturday: Wake up. Coffee. Quiet time. Drive to high school for pre-scrimmage practice. Drive to Lexington. Arrive at 11:45 a.m. Softball scrimmage until 4:00 p.m. Return to the high school. Dinner with friends until 6:30 p.m. Home to pack clothes. Drive an hour to my parents that evening. Arrive at 8:20 p.m. Visit with family. Bed at 11:00 p.m. Sunday: Wake up. Coffee and breakfast with family. Siblings, nieces, and nephews arrive for birthday party for family birthday celebration. Outside time with kiddos, pizza, and birthday cake. Change clothes. Drive across town to visit family friend. Walmart shopping with friend. Visiting until 7:15 p.m. Drive an hour back home. Shower. Prepare for work the next morning. Bed at 11:00 p.m.

What a week. And, yes, I recognize that along with the work, I was able to enjoy time with friends and family. I also know many of you lead lives that are much busier than mine with kids and their extracurricular activities, later work hours, pets to take care of, etc.

The point isn’t to compare my schedule to yours, but ultimately, to highlight the craziness of the lives and schedules we often keep in this on-the-go, always-demanding world in which we live.

So, I sometimes ask myself, and I ask you today, have you ever struggled with the urge to quit? I’m talking about those days when you’re just flat out exhausted, you feel like you’re doing your absolute best, yet everything seems to be coming apart at the seams.

Maybe it’s at your job, with your kids, a relationship struggle with your spouse or a close friend. And, sometimes, it’s everything rolled into one, like a bunch of stacked up dirty dishes in the sink, knowing that with one wrong move, it will all come crashing down around you. Life is that way sometimes. Maybe even a lot of the time.

Job expectations. Impending deadlines. Kids activities. Laundry. Doctor appointments. House projects. Exercise. Grocery shopping. Fundraiser dinners. Insert your commitment here.

We are all surrounded by so many obligations every day. It always feels like there’s so much to get done with limited time and energy. So many of us are functioning daily with our tank just above the red line E as we’re rushing around every day to fulfill our duties at work, at home, and in our communities. Sometimes I wonder if we’re doing it all wrong. But then, I remember, in the midst of it all, to ask myself two questions: Am I seeking Jesus in my every day? Am I seeking to serve Him in all I am doing?

1 Chronicles 16:11 states, “Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always (NIV).” In the ESV version, the verse is altered slightly to state, “seek His presence continually.” Regardless of the version you’re extracting from, this simple verse is one worth committing to our memory banks as we go about our crazy, daily routines. I am often so very guilty of not pausing long enough to seek the face and presence of the Lord. According to the Word of God, as a follower of Jesus, the Holy Spirit lives in me (and you), so it’s never a question of His presence, but a matter of how we are choosing (or not) to seek Jesus. We have an omnipresent God who is everywhere, all the time.

The song “Everything” by TobyMac perfectly illustrates that we love and serve an omnipresent God who is everywhere, all the time.

I see You in everything, all day And every beat of my heart keeps reminding me I see You in every little thing, all day No matter where I go I know Your love is finding me I see You in everything You’re all up in everything

When you’re sitting down on a Sunday evening to map out the activities of your week, be diligent to include moments to pause, pray, and seek the presence of the Lord in your life. Maybe it’s while you’re waiting in line at the pharmacy to pick up a prescription, sitting in the car line at school, a brief pause in the bathroom during a busy day at work, or the quiet, still moments of the early morning.

Because our daily routines are dictated by so many different commitments, it’s important to be intentional about seeking the Lord. When we’re busy, He is there. When the dishes in the sink are stacked up, and the laundry is piled so high in the floor you can’t see past them to the washer, He is there. When your little one is sick, requiring you to be up all hours of the night and still function at work the next day, He is there. When we’re tired and struggling to put one foot in front of the other, He is there.

When you’re in the midst of a heavy or busy season, you’re tired and are questioning whether you can take another step further, I implore you: keep going. Your kids need you. Your parents need you. Your clients/patients need you. Your community needs you. The Kingdom needs you. Life as a follower of Jesus is not easy, but it is worth the battle every single day. As you continue to pursue Christ and gain ground on the enemy, it will be a battle. And so, I encourage you.

Pause. Pray. Seek His presence. Serve Him in all you do and He will be your strength.