Poor Decisions = Deep Water
Have you ever felt too tired to make the simplest of decisions, even ones that are right in front of your face? After making poor decisions due to tiredness, have you found yourself in far deeper water then before the decision was made? Living a lifestyle of chronic exhaustion makes it nearly impossible to balance your personal life and work/ministry life. However, as stated in my last blog, if you don’t take heed to your need to rest, then this can cause exhaustion, fatigue and even some major setbacks in your circumstances.
Do Not Live an Unbalanced Life!
I know this from my own experience and past failures. When I was living a totally unbalanced life of all work and no play or rest, I made poor choices. I went so far out of balance that I nearly lost my marriage and my relationship with my children. Please take note of what I’m saying, especially if you are one of those ones who strive for perfection, and sometimes even recognition. Fortunately for me, this was some years ago now, but beware, it’s easy for anyone to slip back into old patterns if we are not careful. Performance related striving is not from God, that’s for sure! And I’m just so thankful for His grace and mercy and for my family’s love and forgiveness. Without these, I would have surely lost it all.
In Isaiah 30:15 (NLT), it states“Only in returning to Me and resting in Me will you be saved.”
Look and read this again closely—God said, “Only in returning to Me and resting in Me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it.”
That Numbing Feeling
Do you realize that when you’re physically, emotionally and spiritually drained by work, ministry, financial problems, health issues, people’s unmet expectations of you, or other life circumstances, it’s easy to grow numb to the full range of human emotions that God has given you?
The Silent Danger Check List
And while it may seem like a total relief to be free from these negative emotions, the positive ones also can become distant because you don’t feel much of anything anymore – the good or the bad. You’ve grown indifferent. The silent danger is that this is where you start to shut down and enter into those escapist type of mindsets and attitudes as detailed in my last blog. This is dangerous ground that you must stay away from.
If you have entered this territory, you will probably find yourself doing the following:
- Over-scheduling yourself
- Having limited time for close family and friends
- Lack of hearing God’s voice and spending time in prayer
- Poor time management
- Performance related anxiety and stress
- Having few or no boundaries which lead to offenses
- Tolerating toxic relationships
- Continuing in bad habits
- Experiencing unresolved anger, grief, pain, and resentment
- Experiencing a divided heart, purpose, and wrong vision for the future
The One True Answer!
So, what’s the answer? We find it in His Word: “Only in returning to Me and resting in Me will you be saved.”
Just Stop & Talk…
Instead of continually burying your head in the sand, grinding away and thinking these things will change, PLEASE STOP! Talk to God about what’s happening in your life and the lives of the ones around you that your exhaustion could be affecting.
You are not a victim of your circumstances. You are the Victor in EVERY area of your life. Just read 1 John 5:4 (AMP):
“For everyone born of God is victorious and overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has conquered and overcome the world—our [continuing, persistent] faith [in Jesus the Son of God].”
Your Past Does Not Define Your Future
Just because you’ve taken some wrong turns and made some wrong decisions, don’t worry. God is big enough to get you back on track. So, rather than you feeling totally isolated and weighed down by the impossibility of your situation, include Him as your complete solution by praying:
PLEASE PRAY OUT LOUD
“Lord God help me to keep my mind stayed on You. During this time of uncertainty, fatigue, busyness, and stress help me to recalibrate and reorder my priorities according to Your plans and Your will for my life. Enable me to think only Your thoughts, and to let the mind of Christ have His rightful way and authority over me and through me. Your Word says You’ve ordained peace for me and Your peace you give to Me. You are my fortress and my deliverer, and I will not allow my life to be troubled or afraid of the future, as the plans you have for me will prosper me. I choose to return to You and I thank You for keeping my heart and mind at complete rest through You Jesus. Amen.”
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