“I’m tired…”

Are you tired? Maybe this is why:

I’m tired because I’m overworked. The population of this country is 237 million, and 104 million are retired. That leaves 133 million to do the work. There are 85 million in school, which leaves 48 million to do the work.

Of this, there are 29 million employed by the federal government. This leaves 19 million to do the work. Four million are in the Armed Forces, which leaves 15 million to do the work.

Take out the 14,800,000 people who work for state and city governments, and that leaves 200,000 to do the work.

There are 188,000 in hospitals, so that leaves 12,000 to do the work With 11,998 people in prisons now, that leaves just two people to do the work.

You and me. And you’re sitting there reading this.

Regardless of the reason, many people are tired — not merely sleep deprived, but weary, exhausted, and fatigued. And this debility extends not only to the work place and home but even to ministry, pervading every aspect of our lives. If that is your condition today, then Paul has written a benedictory prayer of blessing for you.

“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word” (2 Thess. 2:16-17; NASB).

May your heart — the core of your being — be encouraged. From where does that comforting encouragement come? From the Christ who out of unimaginable love died for you and from the Father who out of unprecedented and eternal love adopted you as His own child. And out of this new relationship He provides you not only with the promise of consolation and an alleviation of your grief in eternity, but He promises a grace and courage to meet the challenge of today’s need.

May your heart — the core of your being — be strengthened. May the grace of God buttress and support you so that you will not totter and fall (the same word is used in 3:3). May you be so firmly attached to God (Ps. 63:8) that you will be able to endure when assaulted spiritually and able to walk faithfully even when weary.

And may your heart — the core of your being — be encouraged and strengthened in every action and word of your day. May your life reflect a growing maturity in the choices you make about your activities and your speech. May the two reflect a unity of heart that is centered on a growing passion for Christlikeness.

Are you weary? Find comfort and joy in the truth that God has come in the person of Christ to provide that rest (Mt. 11:28-30; Rom. 15:13). Cling to Him.

To find rest for your soul, saturate your mind and heart with the one who gives life and hope and peace.