“Lord, please rescue your child. This one belongs to you.”  

I white-knuckled my journal, filled with petitions addressed to one who could provide answers. Confusion and despair settled in the deep places of my soul as I poured out my heart. Several years of wrestling in prayer for the life of my loved one seemed to result in nothing but heartache and hopelessness.  

I had grown spiritually weary and longed to hide away. But I knew God would not give up and I steeled my resolve. Neither would I.  

Why Do I Feel Spiritually Drained? 

Ongoing stress often results in battle fatigue. Perhaps you have been waging a war on your knees for months or even years— 

• for a loved one with a life-threatening disease or chronic illness. 
• a dear one with mental health issues 
• a wandering prodigal or estranged child 
• personal health issues 
• financial stress 

 

Proverbs 13:12 (NIV) explains, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” 

 

Surrounding ourselves with the wrong people can lead to spiritual weariness. Although we are “in the world”, we are not to be “of the world”.  

Immoral relationships draw our hearts away from the Lord, and our values and relationship with the Lord suffer. Eventually, we desire less of God. Instead, we assume the same posture as those in our current circle of friends.  

1 Corinthians 15:33 (NLV) warns, “Do not let anyone fool you. Bad people can make those who want to live good become bad.” 

 

Busyness overwhelms our ability to cope. Do find it difficult to create balance in your life? Me, too. Corrie Ten Boom said, “If the devil cannot make us bad, he will make us busy.” 

The problem with busyness? Too much leads to burnout and neglected relationships—including one’s relationship with the Lord. 

If our schedule neglects Him, we need to change our priorities.  

Jeremiah 29:13 (NKJV) tells us, “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” 

 

Three Biblical Ways to Overcome Fatigue 

Grieve and Give Grace to Those Who are Weary 

David and his warriors returned to Ziklag, now a smoking ruin, to discover their wives and children had been captured by the Amalekites. 

Not only had the enemy looted their homes, but they had robbed the men of their greatest joy. Love. Laughter. Family.  

But David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred stayed behind, who were so weary that they could not cross the Brook Besor. 

Overwhelmed by loss and recovering from a recent battle, David recognized the need of his men.  Some of them needed to mourn. Recover. Replenish.  

David left the men to guard supplies as he and the remaining troops continued their journey. 

Like David, we can give others—and ourselves—space to grieve loss and consider challenges without pushing through the pain.  

Like David, we can give others—and ourselves—space to grieve loss and consider challenges without pushing through the pain. #loss Click To Tweet

Consume Physical and Spiritual Sustenance 

Esau illustrates extreme spiritual weariness in the following Biblical excerpt. 

Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary.  And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.” Therefore his name was called Edom. Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright as of this day.” 

And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?” 

Then Jacob said, “Swear to me as of this day.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright. (Genesis 25:29-34 NKJV) 

 

Hunger depletes our ability to focus, maintain self-control, and remain attentive to God unless we are intentional when fasting. Although Matthew 4:4 (NKJV) reminds us that “Man does not live on bread alone, but from every word that proceeds from the mouth of God”, He made us both spiritual and physical beings.  We must care for both our physical and spiritual hunger if we want to remain strong. 

  

His Presence Before Our Purpose 

I’ve referenced the “exhaustion gap”, a recognized experience of many women post-pandemic. Epaphroditus understood this type of weariness. In fact, he dove into ministry with such fervor that he almost worked himself to death. 

Philippians 2:25-26 reads, “Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need; since he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick.” 

I hope your life isn’t as fragile as that of Epaphroditus, but I wonder–how often do you fall into bed asking yourself why you work as hard as you do? Is there a healthy balance of family/work/fun in your life?  

Jesus gives each of us purpose, but He commended Mary for “choosing the good part”. (Luke 10:42) 

She sat and His feet—resting in His presence. Spiritual rest begins with worship.  

 

Five Simple Steps to Fight Spiritual Weariness 

• Keep a gratitude journal. Even people who struggle with depression feel better in the long term when they keep a gratitude journal.  
• Schedule an appointment with Jesus every day. “Choose the better part” (Luke 10:42) and prioritize your spiritual health.  
• Attend church in person or online if you are physically unable to visit a chapel. Like first-century believers, we need one another in these challenging times.  
• Sing His praises, because He gives you His strength. “The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,  And with my song I will praise Him.” 
• Seek the Lord through prayer and expect Him to show up. King David provides a wonderful example of this posture in Psalm 63 as he depended upon God in the wilderness while in exile.  

 What steps do you take to fight spiritual weariness? Please share in the comments. I’d love to know what helps you.

The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him.” #fightweariness #praisegod Click To Tweet

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