(A poet I’m not…)
Stressed, burnt-out, or deeply fatigued.
Brain-drain, run out of steam, or tuckered out it seems.
Wear down, wear out, where did you go?
Jaded. Bedraggled. Depleted. Drained.
Nothing left to spend or give.
Clueless as to where or how to renew.
Can’t top off the tanks, get a warm-up,
Even a power nap gives nothing in return.
In my 67 trips around the sun, I’ve felt
The moment when it seemed all was gone.
With nothing left to give, what gives?
Step back, okay. Then what? Time to Renew.
How’d that go? Nope. It did nothing.
The tank is so dry, though full like a mirage.
Could it be like a vapor lock? No place to refill?
Give up? Turn away? Or try, try, again?
A few years ago, I hit the wall, and it was a mighty blow.
I learned Education was not my answer.
In the middle, I found no one to talk it over with
No teacher, mentor, coach, or friend.
No friendly advice or words of encouragement
Just me with myself, trying to see a way through it.
How can you handle the moment of this
Where you are your own worst enemy and friend?
It was almost comical;
at my lowest point, no one picked up on it,
No calls of encouragement, words, or advice.
I felt so very much alone.
Prayer didn’t help
It had its own wall.
The Word gave no reply.
Perhaps there is a way through this. Hmmm. Let’s think.
Could I give you a hint? It’s all about how you think!
When you are down on yourself, there are no supporting words,
And every feeling you feel just stomps you in the dirt.
Change your perspective, and that makes all the difference.
What do you do? How do you move on?
Noah? Moses? Abraham? David? Peter? Or, John?
I’m sure you all faced this, and so much the more.
What do you do when it seems you hit the wall so very Hard?
Whoa! Can a leader be like this?
Down in the dirt, as in, with tears, it becomes nothing but muck?
Pity party, of course, that always comes to mind.
We are good at it unless we change our minds.
King David, it is said, took the only way forward.
He shows that it works though all was lost at first.
He “…encouraged himself in the LORD his God.”*
What? Can you give me a clue? Do tell, how?
Encouraged is oft translated as “strengthened.”
This is what David did for himself.
No one to whisper and instruct, no prophet nor priest.
Only him on the side of self, His Lord to please.
When these times happen, and you know they will,
Be accountable and responsible for yourself.
Don’t let it be said. The Wall Stopped You.
It can’t when you get your strength from Him.
In other times we read how David resolved his moment.
How can we know? He wrote! This is how we show others.
Don’t let your victory be a silent win for yourself.
Put your heart to pen, pen to paper, write, and write, and write.
Read his words exampled by the 18th Psalms.
Found in the journals of Samuel, David tells his story
When it seemed the enemy had won and will win again
Lift yourself to God, and He gives You victory.
*( 1 Samuel 30:6 )