Trusting and Believing: Devotions From Time of GraceSample

Why Is It so Hard to Trust God?
Fatigue

Thanks to Satan, trusting in God is a challenge even when things are going well. Think how much harder it is to feel confident when you’re exhausted. “Good tired” is how you feel at the end of a productive day. But you probably also know “bad tired,” don’t you? Bad tired is when you are physically and emotionally drained by the selfishness of others, or worse yet, by your own foolishness and bad judgment.

Are you the parent of a newborn who won’t let you sleep? Do you sit up in the dark waiting for your teenagers to come home? Have you spent yourself into some serious debt? Do problems at work give you insomnia? Are you fried by trying to work and go to school and manage a family all at the same time?

Fatigue wears down your cheerfulness and patience. Fatigue breeds pessimism and bitterness. The Lord Jesus knew personally what severe exhaustion felt like, and he wanted his tired brothers and sisters to know that there was relief for them. He said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

As you lay your head on the pillow tonight, say this prayer: “Lord, you are big enough to handle everything on my mind right now. Since you’re going to be up all night anyway, I’d like to let you work on some things that are bothering me. I’m ready now for the sweet rest you promised.” Pleasant dreams!