At The End Of The Rope

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Galatians 6:9

A while back I came up with the brilliant idea of having company twice in one weekend. That way I only had to clean the house once, basically. It wasn’t hard to tidy up between the two events. In that way, it really did make it easier.

But somewhere along the way that weekend I noticed my attitude wasn’t quite right. Even though things were going smoothly and I had time to rest between events, Satan was trying to convince me that I had over-extended myself. It wasn’t so much my supply of energy but of love that was running low.

I’m sure we’ve all been through periods of burn-out, and over things much more taxing than having company. Sometimes it may just last a day. Sometimes it may be quite a long period of time. It may relate to our jobs, caring for our families, or even our church activities. How should we manage things, including our attitude, when we start to become “weary while doing good” (Galatians 6:9)?

First of all, it IS okay to rest. We may feel like we’re doing all these good things, but it’s not good to run ourselves ragged. Even Jesus and the apostles needed to get away from the crowds sometimes. God made our bodies to require rest.

On the other hand, we may not need as much rest as we want. I know I am accustomed to a certain amount of leisure time, but I’m not entitled to it. In the modern era, most of us are quite busy, but it’s usually by choice. We might need to build up a little more endurance for the work God has for us to do.

Third, sometimes things HAVE to be done and we just have to do them. We want to serve joyfully (see my article here), but sometimes we just have to serve no matter how we feel about it. If the responsibility falls to me, then I must bear my own burden.

For each one shall bear his own load. Galatians 6:5

Furthermore, we don’t always have to do it alone. Delegate. Ask for help. Reach out. Give your brothers and sisters in Christ a chance to do their duty.

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

Finally we need to remember where our strength comes from.

This may seem counter-intuitive, but when we’re feeling overwhelmed and at the end of our rope, it’s just important as ever (perhaps more so) to set aside some time for God. That’s what sacred means— set apart. If you treat worship time as sacred, through that worship, God will supply strength. You will be blessed, refreshed, find a little more length of rope, a little more gas in the tank; kind of like the widow whose supply of flour and oil never ran out during the famine, all because she was willing to sacrifice that last bit of her supply for someone else (1 Kings 17:8-16). In her case it was flour and oil; in our case it is time and energy. We think we can’t spare it, but when we sacrifice it to God, He will multiply it back to us.

If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides. 1 Peter 4:11 NIV

As I said, there are times when we have to take care of something and we may have to miss worship. But when we choose to refresh ourselves by sleeping in on Sunday or skipping our usual prayer time, we’re relying on self instead of God.

If you’re at the end of your rope, it might be time to stop relying on your own strength. God is there, and He is strong enough to hold you AND the rope.

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—
From whence comes my help?
My help comes from the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.
Psalm 121:1-4

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray for wisdom to know when to rest, when to keep working, and when to stop and worship You. And when I need more rest than my responsibilities will allow, I ask You to provide the help and the strength that I need. Help me to rejoice in the work that You have for me to do. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

by Christie Cole Atkins

A couple of years ago, our congregation learned a new hymn that reminds us, “When we reach the end of our hoarded resources, our Father’s full giving has only begun.”

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