It’s been a strange week. I’ve felt overly tired – mental, spiritual, physical and rat race overload! From day one… and the week is not done, I have felt a strange and heavy weight sitting on my shoulders of responsibility that wants to simply squash me like a bug. It’s not that these feelings have kept me from productivity, only that I’ve felt the mental weight of some things heavier than I probably should, and it seems that the time between feeling better and then feeling fatigue is shortened.
One little weighty thought, well, it’s enough to make the whole day feel shot!
I researched and found the connect and disconnect between physical and mental tiredness. I found a better word to reflect on. Fatigue. From a Latin root, it has simply been picked up by the French language and defined as: “extreme tiredness, typically resulting from mental or physical exertion or illness.”
Have you ever felt fatigued? Extreme tiredness? One day of hard tractor work in the yard about did me in on Tuesday. Dehydration. Bouncing over a rough yard, moving downed trees, rocks and getting things ready for a fence. Then the heat came rolling in and I knew when it was time to quit, but the combination of work and heat made my body feel the fatigue, but it seemed to drip over into my mental faculties. This affected me into Wednesday and I felt the results of it during Wednesday Night Bible Lesson. Thursday was the hottest on record for this time of the year so I stayed indoors and worked on “office” stuff, but the fatigue was still there. Conversations, webinars, decisions, and a burping computer – well, the fatigue continued. And it seemed to grow!
The one thing I know, Physical Fatigue does not impact my thinking capacity. Even when overwhelmed with exhaustion, my mind still works through problems, only it struggles with understanding what my body is stressing through at the time that I need to be more aware of how to protect me. Hydration is important, but I’m seldom thinking about drinking that cold bottle of water in the cup holder next to my hand. Until I take a sip and then realize what dehydration is doing! Gulps will not help. Taking a break of time and rehydrating to recovery is needed before continuing the physical labor!
Research shows me that Mental Fatigue often comes when you do not get uninterrupted 7-9 hours of sleep. My normal sleep is 5-6 hours, but here lately it’s been 6-7. Uninterrupted? No. The brain wakes up and chases rabbits, reliving conversations, updating task lists, remembering things left undone (surely I’ll remember that in the morning), and there have been times the brain will not let the body rest. Up we go. Into the wild blue yonder of the upstairs game room trying to create distractions that will allow the brain to go back to sleep!
Does anybody have this problem?
Research tells me that the body regens its physical needs when you sleep. REM sleep allows the muscles to totally relax and deep healing takes place. But when your Mind won’t let the Body repair? Spell it F-A-T-I-G-U-E.
All of this can drain your Spiritual well being into a swamp. That’s when the enemy looks for that open slot of access. Jesus teaches us to not worry about those (people) that can kill the body but not the soul, yet we are to be concerned about those who can destroy both (Matthew 10:28). This represents our Spiritual well-being.
Think about it with me. When we are overwhelmed by the morass of life, our defenses are weakened. We see this in the physical world all the time. We get sick more easily, and the sickness seems to linger longer than it should. When our mind is overwhelmed we often speak and command things to happen that we would normally control like a ravening wolf in a steel cage. You know, words slip out we might not normally use. Anger slips into the mix and we lash out when we might have once kept it under control. Emotions rage and we experience highs and lows in quick succession.
This is why we need a companion during the rough times. Someone to keep us in check, help us analyze our responses, and point the way to a better path. It’s when you are alone and without control, you become Bruce Banner.
This makes me wonder why we do not turn to the one who said he will never leave us, nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). Did not Jesus tell us His Spirit will never leave us comfortless? (John 14:8) Did not the wise man, Solomon, tell us there is one that sticks closer to us than a brother? (Proverbs 18:24)
This is one reason I’m teaching about being and becoming, a complete person in Christ. Paul teaches us that we are complete in him which is the HEAD of all principality and power. (Colossians 2:10) Our foundation of becoming complete in him is found through our understanding of the Word of God and how to use it to help us in times of trouble. A few verses later Paul tells us that everything we do in word or deed is to be done in the name of the Lord Jesus (Colossians 3:17)
Now. Before you think this won’t work for you, I want you to consider a few viewpoints on the life of Jesus who is the very epitome of one we are to emulate. Even he responded to life like you and I.
- After a great miracle, teaching, and confrontation with his followers, Jesus looks to his twelves disciples and says, “Do you also want to go away?” (John 6:66-68) In a moment of humanity, Jesus poses a question to his closest followers. Peter responds, “Where would we go? You have the words of Eternal Life.” Do we not question the loyalty of some when we are faced with the exit of others? Have we not found ourselves confronted by these internal doubts?
- The temple area is full of those buying, selling and exchanging money. Jesus overthrows their tables of wares and speaks to them of the House of Prayer being turned into a Den of Thieves. (Matthew 21:12-14) This clears the area of thievery. Good! Problem solved! Only now the blind and lame fills the void. What to do? Your ministry. Jesus heals them.
- In the Garden of Gethsemane, just before his arrest, Jesus seeks his favorite place of prayer. He’s troubled. Distressed. Exceedingly sorrowful. Falls to the ground and prays that the trial would pass from him. (Mark 14:32-42). Does this not sound like you and I during our deepest anxiety? If not careful we should have these moments of trouble and let the quicksand draw us deeper. But there’s a way to stand up and move forward. Jesus teaches a valuable lesson here!
You see. Even in his humanity, Jesus becomes tired, exhausted and he lashes out at the world around him. Just like you. Just like me. But in his deepest actions, we still see his love and compassion for the world around him. His creation. Those he came to save. (Luke 19:10) This teaches me something so valuable for the moment. Fatigue may slip in, and even unaware, but we should never lose the focus of why we are here.
Finally… Let me share something with you that you know full well. There is a way to stand up to the load we all feel, and the fatigue that can wash us down low… Let me give to you from the Apostle Paul’s viewpoint, while imprisoned before his own demise.
Finally, my brethren,
be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
Put on the whole armor of God,
that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood,
but against principalities, against powers,
against the rulers of the darkness of this age,
against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Therefore take up the whole armor of God,
that you may be able to withstand in the evil day,
and having done all,
to stand.
Stand therefore,
having girded your waist with truth,
having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
above all,
taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
And take the helmet of salvation,
and the sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of God;
praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit,
being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints
—and for me, that utterance may be given to me,
that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,
for which I am an ambassador in chains;
that in it I may speak boldly,
as I ought to speak.
(Ephesians 6:10-20 NKJV)