2 Timothy 4:7
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Members of military combat forces are under a tremendous amount of stress. They are given very little warning and foreknowledge as to when and where they might be deployed into combat action. Even training scenarios can provide a certain level of stress and anxiety.
When the stresses of combat become overwhelming to a soldier, it usually manifests itself in a serious mental condition known as combat fatigue, battle fatigue, or Post Traumatic Disorder Syndrome (PTSD). Unchecked these conditions can and will adversely affect the individual and be a detriment to the unit as well.
As we go through a season where chaos and mayhem and all around evil is so prevalent, it is not hard to realize that people fall victim to fear, confusion, and even spiritual fatigue. When things get bad for Christians, many will turn to fear or hopelessness, and become spiritually fatigued, to the point that they will go weeks missing church and fellowship with one another.
Pastors are not exempt from this either. They can become weary when they come under social and governmental pressures to conform. They can become discouraged when the members of the congregation find every excuse to stay away from church.
According to the Barna Group research, as of March 2022, the percentage of pastors who have considered quitting full-time ministry within the past year sits at 42 percent. This is consistent with data from fall 2021 when Barna first reported on a sharp increase in pastoral burnout, and it confirms the growing number of pastors who are considering resignation—up 13 percentage points from 29 percent in January 2021.
How are we to respond when such spiritual fatigue comes upon us? Well, the Scriptures offer us some encouragement and guidance to handle the things that affect our spirituality.
If you feel like the world is pushing you up against the wall, and leaving you feeling like you don't have the strength to go on, and want to quit, may I suggest going into your prayer closet and seek the Lord. And if you want to hear from Him, read what His word says. He will never fail to answer you.
For instance, consider a few of the following verses if you are suffering from spiritual fatigue:
Matthew 11:28-30 ESV "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.”
Isaiah 40:29-31 "He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."
Psalm 73:26 ESV "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
I have to admit, there were times when I question my calling and wondered if I am really cut out for this work. But I have to remind myself, that I am not alone. Even the Apostle Paul had issues of spiritual fatigue. However, he submitted to the will of God and found His strength to keep him fighting the good fight of faith - even in the most severe and toughest times of his life.
How about you? Are you ready to throw in the towel because you see no value or hope in what you are doing for the Lord? Are you cowering fear from the world's demands to conform or be cast out? Think about it this way: What if Jesus got tired and quit? What if He did not go to the cross and die for our sins? What if Paul stayed in in his comfort zone as a Pharisee in Jerusalem and did not convert?
If you consider these things, you might realize just how significant you really are in the eyes of God. He will give you strength to go on. You just have to to be willing to go!
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Tom
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