Overcoming the Weariness

When you're sick, your body tries to shut down so it can recover. When you're coughing and blowing and busy being sick, you certainly don't get the rest you need and you end up being weary to the bone. That's just how being sick works.

That weariness of illness is one that goes straight to the bone. After two weeks of fighting bronchitis, asthma and fibromyalgia all at once, I can say that I have truly experienced weariness.

It's hard to fight back when you're weary, and the enemy knows that. During my illness, I heard so many voices telling me all kinds of things while I was stuck in bed trying to recover.

You're not that sick, are you?
This is your vacation time! You should be up enjoying it.
It's not that bad.
Get out of bed and accomplish something.
How lazy you've been.
Everybody gets sick. Why shouldn't you?
Aren't you stronger than this?

All the while, I thought about Ahithophel and Absalom pursuing David.

Moreover, Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night: And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only. 2 Samuel 17:1-2

The enemy was just waiting for David to be exhausted and unable to fight back. That's when they would strike - when he was weary.

This is still Satan's battle plan today. How often do we hear ugly words in our heads when we're at our lowest? How often, late at night, to you hear:

Wow. You really didn't accomplish much today, did you?
Was all that work really worth it?
Do you really think anyone noticed what you did today?
You could have done more, but you didn't.
A stronger Christian woman wouldn't feel like you do right now.

Just like with the men chasing David, the devil has an easier time manipulating us when we're weary. He can't do as much damage when we're all rested up and ready for the fight. So he bides his time and waits until we're utterly exhausted.

So what's a victorious Christian woman to do?

I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. Psalm 27:13-14

God has promised to be an unending supply of strength and endurance. If we push ourselves to the breaking point, we will reach that point of exhaustion and be a target for the devil's attacks. But if we're waiting on the Lord and drawing out goodness and courage and strength from Him that we possibly can, those voices don't do as much damage.

You may not be weary from sickness today. You may be weary from expectations, your to-do list and the circumstances of the day. But the Lord promises to be there every step of the way, replenishing us as we walk with Him.

Wait on the Lord. Rest in His rejuvenating strength. Then go back out to fight the good fight.

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