Just Plain Tired

The Gospel cures the biggest energy drains of life.

During pandemic, we’ve shifted our language. Chit chat seems inappropriate and the standard question (“How are you doing?”) seems insufficient. So, now we ask, “Are you hanging in there?”

It seems the more appropriate question because everyone is tired. Tired of pandemic. Tired of negative reports. Tired of social distancing. Tired of masks. Tired of isolation. We’re just tired of it all.

In one sense it is odd that we are so tired because, after all, pandemic has given us more time for rest. We have less meetings, less time travelling to work and less social engagements. We’ve never had so much time to lie around. We should be feeling more rested than ever. But we’re not! Why?

Our weariness amidst a season of less busyness proves that it is not primarily our work or our busy lifestyles that makes us tired—it’s the posture of our souls that makes or breaks our energy level.

Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit because they were duped into believing that they’d feel more alive if they ate it. Instead, their rebellion brought them inward deadness. In their shame, Adam and Eve felt anxious and began hiding from one another and from God. In their anxious hiding, Adam and Eve became lonely and stressed. They had no energy for worship or relationship.

In a growing body of research, scientists are learning that loneliness puts people at risk of dozens of physical problems, including fatigue. Likewise, it’s long been known that high stress levels are strongly associated with tiredness.

Pandemic has brought social isolation which is making us lonely and uncertainty that is stressing us out. It’s why we need the good news of Jesus every day. It’s why we need to make every effort to stay connected while remaining safe. It’s why we need to remind ourselves and one another, “I don’t know how all this is going to turn out, but I know God is going to bring good out of it in the end.” The devil is feasting on society’s isolation and fear, but the Holy Spirit brings unity and peace—and that’s the Gospel!