What to do When You are Weary, by Chuck Allen
We have all been there. That time when you just want to throw in the towel or raise the white flag. I’ve had days that have felt like months, months that have felt like decades and years that felt like hell itself. The truth is that we all have experienced problems and weariness. No human is immune from hardship, sorrow, strife or pain. There has never been a person that walked this earth that hasn’t experienced seasons of grief, loneliness, anger, confusion and weariness. I’ve been so weary that I grew weary of being weary. I’ll bet that you have as well.
The real question is what do we do when we are that weary? That’s a great question. Thanks for asking! Here are four steps to work your way out of a weary season. By the way, I’ve experienced enough weary seasons to speak with some authority on this matter.More on that later…Here you go. Go to work in these four areas, and look back and know, that season is behind me.
- STOP & TAKE INVENTORY. I know you are thinking, the problem is that I cannot stop! That’s why I am so weary. Then you can choose to stop or wait for a stroke or mental meltdown to cause you to stop. Sooner or later, you are going to stop. I prefer to be proactive on when to stop. But stop for a reason. Stop to take inventory of the real issue that is causing your weary season. I often find that the real problem is buried underneath our insecurities and fears. I think that we often are exhausted regarding conflicts in our family and work relationships, finances, or procrastination. Once you identify the real issue, you are ready to fix te weariness. How? You can swallow that big nasty frog first thing in the morning. Tackle the big frog first. It might taste as bad as later in the day, but you are done with it. So STOP, DROP and ROLL. Stop and get off the hampster wheel, Drop the fear and face the music, and Roll on with your next challenge.
- TALK and LISTEN. Determine to limit the voices in your life and listen to two voices. The first voice is critical. Get intensely engaged in having a never-ending chat with the Creator and Sustainer of this world. Drop everything, including the church voice and have a conversation with the Divine. Yes, just talk with the Divine and then stop and listen for His response. I’ve never come into the presence of the Divine and left without being comforted, encouraged and strengthened. I cannot say that about any human. Ever! Then ask the person that you trust most to give you wise, biblical and Christ-honoring counsel. Be honest with them. Give them time to pray with you and for you, then see if the Divine has conspired to allow you to hear similar direction.
- CHANGE SOMETHING. This is a powerfully simplistic learning. Nothing changes until something changes. It might take a while, but start changing small things in your life that will inevitably make a huge difference in time. If you are attempting to run a 10k, but you never get off the sofa, it’s going to be a long day. If you know (and I think most of us know) what changes we should start with in an effort to improve our lives – Wait For It – Start with changing something! You can’t change yesterday, you don’t know what tomorrow holds, but you can always make today better, if only in your own attitude! I promise you that if you’ll start changing something small, a snowball effect will grow those needed changes into healthy, holy habits! If nothing changes until something changes – decide what you CAN change.
- GIVE UP and GIVE AWAY. Surrender your pride and ask for help from Heaven. And while you are at it, give yourself away. With great intentionality, serve someone in need. Just like exersize can increase your energy, serving others will pull you out of weariness. Give of yout time, skills, finances, and knowledge – sacrificially! Somehow the Divine uses our sacrificial offerings of service and finances to greatly improve our energy levels, attitudes, and relationships. He has never failed to do that, and you will never be the exception to that promise! When we live our life with open hands and open hearts, we make our little corner of the world a far better place, and when we make that lifestyle a holy habit, we make the rest of the world a far better place!
Don’t stay in the rut of weariness. Let these four actions become your natural, daily attitudes and see what the Divine might do in you, for you and through you! Remeber, He is FOR YOU! He is not against you!
–AChuck