Topic: Are You Exhausted? [Joyce Meyer Devotional 15 February 2021]
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And Jesus said to them, The Sabbath was made on account and for the sake of man, not man for the Sabbath; so the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.— Mark 2:27-28 (AMPC)
Are you excessively tired all the time, even after getting a full night’s sleep? Have you been to doctors, but they can’t find anything wrong with you? You might be experiencing some of the symptoms of burnout. Long periods of overexertion and stress can cause constant fatigue, headaches, sleeplessness, digestive problems, tension, and other issues.
Some other signals of burnout are crying, negativity, irritability, depression, cynicism, or even bitterness toward others’ blessings. God established the law of resting on the seventh day to help us keep from burning out. The law of the Sabbath simply says we can work six days, but by the seventh, we need to rest and spend time worshiping God. He rested after six days of work, not because He gets tired, but so we would follow the pattern.
In Exodus 23:10-12, we read that even the land had to rest after six years, and the Israelites were told not to sow in it the seventh year. During this rest, everything recovered and prepared for future harvests. People today are often quick to argue that they can’t afford to take a day off, but I say that they can’t afford not to do it. We often hear, “I’m too busy to take a break. I would never get everything done if I did that.”
My answer is, “Then you’re too busy and something needs to change in your life.” When we’re too busy to follow God’s instructions, we will pay the price eventually. Remember, the Bible says we reap what we sow. If we sow continual stress with no rest or time to recover, we will reap the results in our bodies, emotions, and minds. So I want to encourage you to start to take steps toward resting more. When you honor God with your time, you’ll reap the benefits of rest.
Prayer Starter: Father, please help me to be more intentional to trust You enough to rest when I need to. Thank You in advance for teaching me how to balance work and rest in a healthy way. In Jesus’ name, amen.