You ever feel like you’re just so tired; like you simply can’t go on? No matter how hard you try to push forward, find solutions, or pray… things just seem to keep getting worse?
Maybe you’ve even whispered, “God, are You serious right now? Are You even listening? Do You care?”
I’ve been there, more times than I can count. Times when I said I was trusting God, leaving everything in His hands… but if I am completely honest, deep down I was still trying to fix, control, and manage everything myself.
When It Feels Like Everything Is Falling Apart
Maybe it’s your marriage. Those seasons when you love your husband, but honestly, you just don’t like him very much. When you’re not seeing eye to eye, every conversation feels like friction, and you start wondering if you’ll ever get back on the same page. Lord knows I’ve been there!
Or maybe it’s your kids, that teenager or young adult who’s testing every boundary, pushing every button, and making you wonder if God has turned His face away for a bit. You’re doing everything you can to reach their heart, but all you feel is distance, frustration, and exhaustion. Oh, I’ve been there too!
Maybe it’s work. The endless responsibilities, the coworkers who drain your spirit, the lack of appreciation no matter how much you give. And on top of it all, you’re trying to “be Christlike” when all you really want to do is scream or quit.
As I write this, I can’t help but chuckle. I’m reminded of one of our pastors, Luke, who always refers to “Susie from accounting” as that difficult coworker we’re called to love anyway. We all have a “Susie from accounting,” don’t we?
Those “Susie moments” test our patience, but they’re also the very moments God uses to shape our character in order to teach us grace, humility, and how to love others the way He loves us. But let’s be honest… it’s hard! When those moments pile up; the stress, the emotions, the expectations, it can all start to feel like too much.
When Overwhelm Takes Over
To be completely transparent… have you ever been so overwhelmed that you thought, “If one more person says something to me, they might get punched in the face today”?
Same, sister.
I’ve been there, more than once. And usually when I get to that point, it’s a clear signal that I need to stop and pray. Life is full….. full of noise, busyness, hard days, and heartache, but none of that changes the fact that we are called to honor God even in the mess.
Spiritual maturity isn’t easy. It takes practice, humility, and surrender. I’ve had to learn (and I’m still learning) that reacting out of my flesh only brings regret. Boy, have I done this so many times and have had to apologize for my response! But here’s the truth: the way we respond to others is the clearest sign of spiritual maturity. Our reactions reveal whether we are being led by our emotions…. or the Holy Spirit. What if instead, we pause and ask the Holy Spirit, “What’s really happening here? How should I respond?”
That pause, inviting Him into the moment, changes everything. Because how we choose to respond can shift the entire outcome of a conversation, whether it’s your husband, your child, a co-worker or a friend. Here in this place, we give God room to work through us. Little by little, those Spirit-led responses begin to transform not only our relationships but us.
When You Need to Be Renewed
If you find yourself tired, short-tempered, or spiritually drained, take time to be alone with God. Start your day with Him. Ask Him to refresh you, renew your mind, and give you strength for what’s ahead.
Ask Him to reveal the things in you that need healing…. pride, anger, bitterness, fear, comparison. When we allow Him to strip away those things, we make room for His voice and the fruit of His Spirit to grow in us.
When your heart feels overwhelmed and you don’t even have the words, remember David’s cry:
“From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee,
when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”
— Psalm 61:2 (KJV)
He is that Rock. He is steady when everything else feels shaky.
And in those moments when exhaustion settles deep into your soul, hear the gentle voice of Jesus saying:
“Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart:
and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
— Matthew 11:28–30 (KJV)
I love the King James version of this passage because it uses the word meek. In the Greek, this means “humble strength under God’s control.” ¹ Wow. Many of us hear the word meek and automatically associate it with weakness but it means the exact opposite. As Christians, we are called to demonstrate this kind of strength.
A good friend reminded me of this verse recently. I’ve read it countless times before, but that morning… it hit differently. Those words leapt off the screen and straight into my heart. It felt like God whispering, “Daughter, stop trying to do everything yourself. Come to Me. Rest.
As the Holidays Approach: Choose Wisdom Over Weariness
One last thing! I can’t help but think about how quickly the holidays are approaching. For many of us, this time of year brings joy, but it also brings pressure. More activities. More commitments. More shopping. More expectations. More “yeses” when our hearts are already weary.
But this year, what if we chose wisdom instead of overwhelm?
What if we were intentional about what we say yes to and gave ourselves permission to say no without guilt?
No to the events that leave us drained.
No to the pressure of perfect gifts.
No to stretching ourselves so thin that we have nothing left for the people who matter most.
The holidays are not meant to bury us in stress. They’re meant to remind us of Jesus — the Prince of Peace — who invites us to slow down, breathe, and make room for what actually matters.
As life gets busier and the calendar fills up, may we choose simplicity. May we choose peace. May we choose His voice over every other demand pulling at us. And may this be the season where we honor God not by adding more to our plates but by walking in wisdom, rest, and intentional joy. I am learning to practice this as well.
Because your heart wasn’t made to carry the weight of everything.
Choose instead to rest in Him.
Reference:
¹ Strong’s Greek 4239: πραΰς (praus) — “meek, gentle, humble.”
