Although there is, in fact, victory, joy, and contentment in the life of the Christian, there are also times in which the Christian may feel weary. Life’s demands and challenges have a way of sucking the Christian dry, and in this state, the Christian can feel depleted. While an unbeliever may seem to prosper in his way and his life may look relatively easy, often in the life of a Christian, hardship is part of the journey.
The weary traveler
In John chapter 4, a story is told in which Jesus is traveling through Israel. At this point in time, within the Roman Empire, the nation of Israel was broken up into provinces. Jerusalem was in Judea, Samaria was above Judea (this where the Samaritans lived), and Galilee was directly above Samaria (this was where places like Nazareth, Cana, and Capernaum were). An easy way to understand the layout of the land during the time of the Roman Empire is to think of the provinces they created like states in America and the towns/cities being like cities within the states. For example, the city of Capernaum existed within Galilee like the city of Philadelphia exists within Pennsylvania.
So there’s the layout, and here’s the scene: Jesus is said to have left Judea in John 4:3, and His intent was to go to Galilee. What this means is that Jesus would have to travel a long way by foot. His travels would have taken Him from one province through another province, then eventually He would have reached Galilee. While traveling to Galilee on foot, Jesus eventually reaches a town called Sychar. If Jesus traveled from Jerusalem or a neighboring area, a straight shot would have been about 30 miles long. Needless to say, this would have been a long trip.
When Jesus enters the town of Sychar, the following is said about Jesus: “Now Jacobs well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well…” (John 4:6). This is a great illustrative picture of the pilgrim lifestyle bringing about weariness. Now in this story, Jesus was said to be physically tired and weak. This can happen in the life of the Christian: he can grow physically tired and weak from life’s demands. However, the Christian can also grow spiritually weak from life’s demands.
As you embrace the pilgrim lifestyle and submit to the Lord’s will, you can know that there will be times of weakness. One of the most unhelpful thoughts or teachings of a Christian is that the Christian will never be weak. This is not true. There is only One Who never gets tired and Who never grows weak, and it is on Him that the Christian must rely.
Finding strength in a wearied state
So the question arises then, “How do I gain strength in the midst of my weariness?” First of all, it is important to recognize that weakness and weariness are a part of the Christian experience. You must normalize what you are going through. There will, in fact, be times in which your strength seems depleted and you are running on empty.
The Scriptures make this clear by saying the following: “Even youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall” (Is. 40:30). God, through the prophet Isaiah, is ultimately saying that even the strongest of people will eventually run out of gas. A simple look at the makeup of mankind will reveal that God has made man with limits. Man is not God. Man does not live forever; he has an end to his life. Man cannot go forever without eating; he must eat or suffer the consequences. Man cannot stay awake forever; he must sleep or once again suffer the consequences. Mankind was created in such a way that weakness will, in fact, set in at various points in one’s lifetime, even throughout each day.
God does not want man to be self-sufficient. Whenever man seeks to be self-sufficient, he moves far from the heart of God. God wants His children to recognize something very special about Himself. Scripture says, “Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, That the everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Fainteth not, neither is weary?…” (Is. 40:28). While man does in fact expend himself throughout his day, God never grows weary. God here is depicted as all together unique and above His creation. Man will grow weary; God will not.
Therefore, secondly, what you must do is look to this God Who does not grow weary. Scripture says, “He giveth power to the faint; And to them that have no might he increaseth strength” (Is. 40:29). Look to this God Who does not grow weary. He will impart to you what you are lacking. He will give you of Himself.
Finally, and possibly the hardest part of all, the Scriptures say, “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings as eagles; They shall run, and not be weary; And they shall walk, and not faint” (Is. 40:31). The Scriptures tell us that there will also be times in which the Christian will need to exercise patience in waiting upon the Lord. These times of waiting will produce within the Christian Christlikeness. When the Christian waits upon the Lord, the Christian exercises faith, patience, endurance, and perseverance.
God will, in fact, show up. He has promised that He would. For those of you who are weary, you can know that you have a God Who never grows weary and is waiting to impart to you Himself. God will give you strength. Wait upon the Lord, and He will act.
Final prayer
Father, I thank You that while I grow weary at times, You do not. Help me to look to You and trust in You. Give me strength this day, Lord, I pray. In Jesus’ name, Amen.