Battling Through When You're Tired 2016.10.10
When I get tired, I am more susceptible at doing foolish things... things I need to apologize for afterwards... At least I am at a point where, when it's late(r) and I'm being "tested", I know that I really need to be listening more and talking less. My default answer, when asked what I'm thinking is "I'm listening and processing."
I feel tired today, and not for the obvious reasons - heavily interrupted sleep last night, but other things. My weekend wasn't crazy busy - I had my son, I got a chance to work out a couple of times, plans to hang out with a friend got postponed by a day (by me), only to be understandably canceled (by him). Other aspects in my life have been gnawing at me - my car's been giving me problems and I am now putting money & work into it, especially before it gets too cold, layoffs at the workplace are always looming, and there's always the battle I have with the insecurities that I struggle with. And although I'll give you the "confident in God's Plan" speech, my heart's lonely but that's just another complicated and self-inflicting mess for another day...
I feel like todays' going to be "one of those days"... and that's not good! I usually enjoy writing these posts but today, I am finding it hard to focus and smile at the help that God has always given to me when I delve into His Word.
And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.
2 Thessalonians 3:13
These type of scriptures are like the bad advice that a parent can give their kid when they are hurting - "ignore the pain and it'll go away". I'm not saying that God's Word is bad advice, but it's telling me to keep doing what I'm doing, despite my fatigue. As I've covered in previous posts, struggles are what helps our faith to grow, and increases our love (which in turn, helps us to battle temptation).
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
1 Corinthians 13:4,7
When I am tired, "love for others" is the first victim. Because I'm fatigued, because i'm this or that... But the above scripture states that love perseveres. And when we need more patience with people, "loving them more" is the way to get it.
We handed our lives over to God, not just when the times are good, but especially when times get tough. An indicator of our relationship with God is how we change - The more we become the person that God sees us to be, and less of how we were before baptism. But those rarely happen painlessly. Our former selves are deeply ingrained in us, and they truly must be smelted from us. But we must remember who's purifying our lives - God! He truly loves, knows, and wants what's best for us. He is the Master over the impossible, so what have we to fear? The end-result will be beautiful, we just need to buckle in for the ride, leaning upon Him for refreshment & endurance.
