From the Pulpit: Overcoming discouragement: Fatigue

We are discussing discouragement and its effect on our life. We can face it in small doses without much affect or we can be flooded with waves of it that overwhelm us. Last week we looked at how our frustrations with others can leave us discouraged but we find strength in knowing that God is for us and willing to be helpful. 

This week I want to share about fatigue. When fatigued we easily become discouraged.

 

Discouragement can be described as having a loss of enthusiasm that can come from exhaustion. Personal weariness saps our motivation, takes away our concentration and leaves us deflated. Life isn’t slowing down, expectations are ever present, and responsibilities always seem to get heavier. Technology advances regularly promise to make things more efficient, more productive, and faster and yet people are more stressed and medicated than ever before. I frequently find myself exhausted and that kind of fatigue leads to feeling discouraged.

 

A solution to fatigue comes from Proverbs 11:25, “Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.” We become fatigued because we often use our energy on selfish motives. But selfless service to others in the name of Jesus provides a spirit-filled source of motivation. When we take our eyes off ourselves we often realize we have the wrong priorities in place for our attention and effort. Making a difference in the lives of others enriches us by watering our thirsty souls and aligns us with the purposes of God. Jesus sets the example himself when he says in Matthew 20:28, “Even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

 

I have found that my faith defeats “fatigue” when I practice loving others more than myself. My faith calls me to evaluate my time management, my encounters with people, and my efforts at work so that I can more easily recognize when and why I might be discouraged. I have found that my faith, which calls me to focus more on others than myself, can defeat the discouragement that comes from fatigue.