When my youngest daughter, Hannah, was little I would take her shopping with me. After she got her “toy,” or whatever item she was in search of, she was ready to be done with shopping. I can remember how she would lay on the little bench inside the dressing room as I tried on clothes.
It didn’t take very long for her to start saying, “Mom, I’m tired and I wanna go home.” I’m sure part of it was because she wanted to go home and play with her latest acquisition, but she was also tired of going from store to store to browse. She wasn’t the least bit interested in clothes at that age. She became overstimulated by all the activity, and it was exhausting to her.
I can certainly relate. Maybe you can too. Today there is so much going on that can overwhelm and agitate us. Negativity abounds. If we turn on the television we are soon bombarded by information that distresses us, depresses us, and often just outright frustrates us.
We can sometimes become so absorbed with what we are seeing, hearing, and experiencing we find ourselves irritated, and we become increasingly bitter. When the division, violence, and total disrespect for God seems to spread like a brush fire it can be almost infuriating.
Then on top of that, we are dealing with a pandemic that just won’t go away. People are arguing daily about whether you should or shouldn’t wear a mask. Some people are carefree, while others are paralyzed with fear.
It seems like everyone wants to argue about something—anything. It’s almost as if there is a plague of disagreement, offense, and hate affecting everyone. It is a masquerade of manipulation and deception organized and imposed by Satan himself.
When we as Christians no longer want to share the gospel because we feel that we will never make a difference in lives that have become so deceived, we often want to tell God, “I’m tired and I wanna go home.”
I know I have certainly said it many times myself lately. I personally often wonder if I’m making a difference at all, and that causes me to become tired and complacent. I tend to shrink back and keep my mouth shut around certain people in order to avoid conflict or arguments.
Feeling as if we have been silenced can make a person feel indifferent to what is happening around them. I sometimes feel like I’m just tuning out the world. And, sometimes I just want to give up and say, “Jesus, YOU deal with them, I’m done!”
See how underhanded and manipulative Satan is? He knows exactly how to push our buttons. He is doing all he can to silence us in a time where all the loud obnoxious voices are drowning out the quiet desperate voices crying for help. And, they are out there.
So, even if we feel like we aren’t making a difference, we have to remember—one soul is worth it. One life changed, set free, and on their way to Heaven is worth it. One lost individual who misses hell is worth it! One person who becomes set ablaze with the Holy Spirit can reach a multitude in their own circle of influence.
We also need to realize when we need rest and refreshing. Only the Holy Spirit can refresh us and provide the strength to move us forward. We must get into the Word of God, and remember we are not the only ones who have gone through this. This is not a new tactic from the enemy of our souls. So we press on.
And, we must not get tired and give up. We have to be wise to Satan’s schemes. Its time to see his shenanigans for exactly what they are. And let’s give this short period of time we have left all we’ve got. Its time to rise up and fight the battle. We know who wins, and He is coming soon!
“He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:29-31)
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1 NLT)
“No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” (Philippians 3:13,14 NLT)
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