You've heard that saying, right? Can't run with the big dogs. Let me tell you something--even the big dogs can't run all the time. Do you realize God rested after Creation (Genesis 2:3), and there's no one bigger than God.
Everybody gets tired. I don't just mean physically. I also mean emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. This life takes its toll on us all. The Bible says to fight the good fight and finish the race (2 Timothy 4:7), and that those who trust in the Lord will run and not grow weary (Isaiah 40:31). The Bible also says that all who are tired should go to Jesus to find rest (Matthew 11:28), and that God will satisfy and replenish the weary soul (Jeremiah 31:25).
God knows we are going to get tired. We can't run forever. He doesn't expect us to. What He wants is for us to do our best, and to do that, we have to be in the best shape possible. Anyone who does any kind of training will tell you that rest is an important element of an effective schedule.
When we're tired, we make mistakes.
We know this. When we're tired, we make bad decisions. We miss things we'd normally catch. We don't think as well as we otherwise would, and respond slower than usual. Studies have shown that after going 17 hours without sleep our alertness level is like having a blood alcohol content of .05%, which is legally impaired.
When we get worn down emotionally and spiritually, we start to make mistakes too. It's harder to resist temptation when you're beat down. Get kicked around long enough, and turning the other cheek is the last thing that comes to mind. Trudge through the trenches of spiritual warfare too long without taking a break, and you're going to get battle fatigue. That's when soldiers make mistakes.
No one is immune to this. You can get used to being tired, but you can't train yourself to be as effective when tired as when you are not. It just doesn't work that way. Elite soldiers train to work through fatigue, but it's known that their performance will suffer. Spiritual warfare is no different. Sometimes we have to just keep going, but we can't go forever. The time comes when we all need to take a break.
It's not just short term effects you have to worry about.
Being tired is hard on us. Not only in the short term, but the long term as well. Habitual lack of sleep leads to increased risk of a whole host of physical ailments, including stroke and heart attack. Unending stress carries the same risks, and what greater stress is there than spiritual warfare?
God knows we have to have a respite from battling the forces of darkness and sin. That's why He is our fortress, our strong tower, our sanctuary. These are not only places from which battles are fought, but places where warriors find rest. Unless well rested, fighters can't fight the good fight.
Everybody gets tired.
Never confuse fatigue with weakness. Getting tired doesn't mean you're weak. It means you're human. It's how we are made. Partly, I believe, to re-enforce our dependence on God. For it is in our weaknesses that He is proven to be strong (II Corinthians 12:9).
Admit when you're tired. Don't be afraid to take a break. The greater risk is to keep going, and possibly fall asleep at the wheel. God grants rest to those He loves. He invites us, even directs us to come to Him when we're tired. Not if, but when. Not some, but all.
Weary souls need rest. Know when you need it, and know where to find it.
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