Someone confided in me that she was feeling guilty. She said, “Even though I’m a Christian, I still get so tired!” As I reviewed the Scriptures, I found that God’s people sometimes suffered fatigue and even exhaustion. Today’s church seems unwilling to acknowledge this, however. In the name of victorious Christian living, some view all weariness as a failure to trust and obey God.

But according to Isaiah, our Creator anticipates weariness in His finite creatures. He promises to renew our strength if we wait on Him (40:30-31). He also understands that our need for strength, like our need for food, isn’t a once-for-all provision.

Our choice is not whether we will experience weariness but what we will be weary about. In my own life, I suffered exhaustion during a long period of time because of worry, fear, and bitterness. Thanks to the Lord, these negative feelings no longer dominate me. But I still get very tired because of my involvement in worthy causes and my desire to live faithfully as a servant of Christ.

Give yourself a “tiredness test.” If you are tired for the wrong reasons, humbly seek God’s loving correction. If you are tired for the right reasons, seek God’s renewing strength. You don’t need to feel guilty about feeling weary.