“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for His name’s sake.” Psalm 23:1-3
For most of my life, I was the person who never wanted to say no to anything. I wanted to please people. I wanted to achieve. I wanted to be the one to take care of everyone and everything.
I was the queen of busy and liked being in control. Until I realized that my desire to control is actually a kind of pride. When I’m trying to control everything around me, it means I’m not trusting that God is in control. That hit me pretty hard.
I also realized that when I’m busy trying to orchestrate every little detail, I don’t make time to rest. I get tired more easily, and I get worn out more quickly.
Lately, I’ve been tired. I have a lot going on with work, church, family, and friends. I’m emotionally exhausted. Thankfully, we get to be real with Jesus and say we’re tired. When I did, I honestly thought He would tell me how to be strong, how to push through, and how to fight fiercely. Yes, I’ve been in seasons when that’s exactly what He’s said. But this time, he wanted to show me how to rest.
God lead me to Psalm 23 that says He leads me beside quiet waters and refreshes my soul. It reminded me that rest is a gift to us from God, one that I don’t accept very often. I was also reminded that Jesus felt everything we feel. If I’m feeling exhausted or put out, Jesus felt it first when He came to earth to sacrifice Himself for us. He knows what we’re going through. Anything we face, He’s faced it too. I praise God for a relatable savior who gets me!
So if you’re feeling tired, it’s ok. It just means you need to rest. Maybe you need His peace in the midst of a crazy situation you can’t control. Maybe you’re trying to do too many things He hasn’t called you to do in this season. Maybe you’re doing too much on your own, without Him. Whatever is causing your exhaustion, God will meet you exactly where you are and invite you to rest in Him. I encourage you to take Him up on that offer. You'll be glad you did.
In His love,
Simone Graves