Bone Tired?

Have you ever felt completely wiped out, wrung out, drained and depleted of energy?

Times like these usually come from extended seasons of trouble, trials, pressures, pains; from great loss, lack or labor. They leave us desperately weakened; “bone tired” in spirit, soul and body.

Such a depth of fatigue can lead to hopelessness –– a feeling that we can’t take another step, face another day, deal with another situation –– that we can’t keep going.

What’s the solution? How do we handle the moments in life when the weights, the challenges, the expected energy and investment exceeds our resources? What do we do when our strength is gone –– when we are totally tapped out?

There’s hope and help for us. The psalmist David described his journey out of this kind of weariness. Notice one of the prayers he prayed:

Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief. My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak. –– Psalm 31:9, 10 (NIV)

Does this sound like one of your prayers? It might be the very prayer you’re praying today!

David continued his prayer:

Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love. Let me not be put to shame, O Lord, for I have cried out to you … –– Psalm 31:16, 17 (NIV)

In deep exhaustion, David turned to prayer. He turned to God. His only hope for help was a gift of supernatural strength from God. That’s what he was asking for, and that’s what he got!

As Psalm 31 concludes, David tells us about his answer from God, and he encourages us to seek the same:

Praise be to the Lord, for He showed His wonderful love to me … In my alarm I said, “I am cut off from your sight!” Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help … The Lord preserves the faithful … Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord. –– Psalm 31:21-24 (NIV)

By the time David finished his prayer, he had received supernatural strength and encouragement. He was given energy to keep going!

Are you worn out? Go to God. Ask Him for strength. He will do for you what He did for David!

Dale O'Shields

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