Hard work makes you tired. That tiredness disappears after a good night’s sleep. But sometimes you feel spiritually exhausted, weary of life. Too much is coming at you; too much is being demanded of you. Or perhaps you set the bar too high for yourself and it overwhelms you. You can reach a point where you no longer see any way forward in life. That feeling of tiredness and discouragement doesn’t simply go away by catching up on sleep. Proverbs 18:14 (NIV) rightly asks:
“A crushed spirit who can bear?”
Ultimately, only God can give us new spiritual strength, even in the most difficult circumstances. The apostle Paul wrote about this from his own experience. He went through many hardships, especially while traveling the world as a missionary. If he had had to carry all of that on his own, he would have collapsed long ago. But with confidence he testified how Jesus helped him:
“I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13 NIV)
And in another letter, he points his readers to
“the God who gives endurance and encouragement” (Romans 15:5 NIV).
Jesus gives believers rest, courage, and new strength to face life. You don’t have to do it alone!