“What a beautiful world! Sometimes the wonders of nature can lift our spirits when little else can. You may be weary or discouraged right now. God has designed his world to help you. When we pause to feel the sunshine on our faces, listen to the singing of the crickets at night, or smell the fragrance of blooming lilacs, it lifts our spirits like a tonic. Our God has filled the world with His artistry, and He has placed inside us a desire to enjoy His creation forever. Beauty and eternity! It’s an ache built into the human heart.”
– David Jeremiah
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30
Last Saturday was the From Porn to Grace conference in Colorado Springs. That morning I woke up at 2:00am with a splitting headache and didn’t sleep well after that. The conference ran from 10:00am to 3:00pm. Those who attended responded well to our time together, which included the detailed version of my story, the road to healing for men and women, me interviewing Rebekah on why youth are leaving the church, spiritual warfare, breaking the power of lies, two breakout sessions for individual sharing and prayer, and, the last 15-20 minutes, everyone praying together. The time of corporate prayer was a blessing, with some praying in tears. Prayer meetings shouldn’t be contained to special events, but a part of every weekend church service. The church is supposed to be a house of prayer, right?
That afternoon after the conference I Elijah-crashed. My emotional energy tank was raw, bone dry. Long covid adds more weight to the fall.
I knew what I needed.
Sunday morning I left alone for a lake in the mountains at an elevation of 8,500 feet. I prayed as I went, asking God to restore my soul and strengthen my emotions. I ended up sitting at the edge of the lake. As I sat by the water God brought the twenty third Psalm to mind:
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters
He restores my soul.”
Psalm 23:1-3
Big smile. God was speaking, saying that He brought me here, reminding me of His power to touch weary, torched hearts and revive them. I sat by the lake for quite awhile, in silent rest, taking it in the magnificent scenery around me: blue skies painted with white clouds, a snow-topped mountain in the distance, evergreen trees everywhere, set around mirrored waters. The combination of creation, prayer, and the presence of God was life-giving, heart-filling, joy-lifting. By the time I drove home several hours later my heart was full.
What do you do when you’re exhausted?
Many will turn to:
* Hours cuddling up with their phone or TV screen.
* Hitting the pantry or fridge for a binge, perhaps a pint of ice cream or a bag of something crunchy, salty and fatty, juiced with chemicals.
* Porn.
* Stuffing their feelings; walling off the heart. Perhaps if my heart is hard it won’t matter how I feel.
* Coffee, of course. A shot of caffeine will get the nervous system going again. Maybe an energy drink.
* A glass of wine.
* Getting busy. Sometimes we overclocked modern humans like to deal with weariness by hitting the gas again. Maybe we can outrun how tired we feel.
* It’s summer, which means vacation time. Many will return home feeling more drained than when they left because they didn’t allow any margin for rest.
None of the above are life-giving or heart-restoring. Screens, the drug of choice for the 21st century, are the new brain-numbing, dopamine-fix for the masses. On average we’re spending 5 hours a day on our phone.
Ongoing prayer, resting in silence, and enjoying creation are God’s answer for a weary soul. “Come to Me,” and “Resting by still waters” run against the grain of a culture that glorifies and exalts those who fry their nervous systems while running as hard and fast as they can for as long as they can. Many churches promote the culture of crash and burn too.
* 75% of pastors report being “extremely stressed” or “highly stressed.”
* 90% work between 55 to 75 hours per week.
* 90% feel fatigued and worn out every week.
* 80% will not be in ministry ten years later and only a fraction make it a lifelong career. On average, seminary trained pastors last five years in church ministry.
(https://www.soulshepherding.org/pastors-under-stress/)
Not good. I’m sure there are many non-clergy who are worn out as well.
Unplug, slow down, stop. Rest in silence with Jesus. Take Him up on His promise to give you rest. Binge on God’s creation. This is the way of the Rogue Christian.
“For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”
Isaiah 30:15