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I’m Tired of Serving the Most High God… and a Link Up!

I’ve been in full-time ministry for many, many years now.
Ministry to my husband.
Ministry to my children.
Ministry within my home and outside of my home.
most+high+god
I’m tired of serving others all in the name of Jesus Christ.
I’m tired of being rejected and persecuted for my faith.
I’m tired of living through trials while trying to remain strong in the Lord.
I’m tired of putting forth effort into my marriage.  Sometimes I just want to put it on the back-burner and hope all goes well.  Yet, I can’t be so spiritually naive because I know Satan would love to destroy it.
I’m tired of serving my husband, which is his love language, by the way.  Sometimes I’d like him to get his own dinner.

I’m tired of trying to bless him by looking physically attractive to him, even though he has never once placed those demands on me.I’m tired of exercising.  That’s why I didn’t do it at all last week.

I’m tired of doing my hair; it’s high maintenance.  Sometimes a hat and a pair of sweats call my name.

I’m tired of parenting and homeschooling my children.I’m tired of refereeing my children’s arguments and I’m tired of training their character.

I’m tired of cooking 3 meals a day, tending to the laundry and cleaning my home.

I’m just plain tired.  I’m tired of laying down my life.  And some days I just don’t want to get out of bed. 
I can’t take a break from this ministry.
Going on a leave of absence isn’t really an option either.
And all mothers know that going on a vacation with one’s children does not mean rest, it just means that you’re parenting in a different location; and quite honestly that can sometimes require even more work!
I’m tired of pouring out my Alabaster Jar.  Sometimes I don’t think there is one drop left of that special and expensive perfume to be found in my bottle.

Bottom line, my flesh is screaming that it doesn’t want to die to self.

Yet, I’m a daughter of the Most High God.

I’m called to a life of servant hood.

I’m called to a life of suffering.

I’m called to a life of persecution.

I’m called to a life of dying to myself as I pick up my cross to follow Him.

But God has given me a choice; free will is at my disposal.

I don’t have to answer any of those calls above, and quite honestly, there are some days that I just DON’T because my flesh wins out!

But then there are other days, days that I try to answer those calls because I want to bring Christ glory in all I do.

No one forced me to sign up for this Christian race.  I made the choice all on my own.

I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.  Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?  Run in such a way as to get the prize.  Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.  Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.  No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. 1 Corinthians 9:23-27 (NIV)

But like any trained athlete, you get tired and sometimes you even sustain injuries during your race.  And any runner knows that sometimes while running you can barely breathe!

There are times where I find that my spiritual lungs are burning and I’m gasping for air.

I need to be resuscitated by my Savior.  I need Christ to breathe His Spirit into mine.

I need some spirit-filled CPR so I can continue to live a poured out life for the Most High God.

How about you, friend?  Are you tired too?  Do you need some spirit-filled CPR as well?

Here’s some things that have helped me to continue on in this marathon race of the Christian life.

9 Ways to Receive Spiritual CPR

  1. Stay in the Word.
  2. Be still while in the Word so you can hear from Him.  Be all there, giving Christ your full attention.
  3. Meditate on what you’ve read.  Allow the word’s of Christ to penetrate your heart and transform you and minister to you.
  4. Get in the boat with Jesus; meaning, go away with Him where no one else can have access to you.  Some of you with small children might need to hide in the bathroom for this one! That’s okay, consider that place your ‘boat with Jesus’ and know that it’s just for a season.
  5. Be in fellowship with others that will draw you closer to the Lord.
  6. Don’t over-commit; whether it’s your ministry to your family or outside of the home to others.  Learn to say ‘no’ so you can protect your spiritual well-being.
  7. Ministry can be taxing on our physical bodies so take a nap and don’t feel guilty about it either.  Our bodies need to be rested, restored, and rejuvenated so we can get back up and run our race.
  8. Figure out where your Spiritual Gifts are and use them for the Lord.  When you’re pouring out in His spirit, He’ll in turn pour His spirit into you.  (This is a deep concept that’s not taught about very often but someday soon I hope to write on it.)
  9. It’s all in your perspective.  Keep your eyes turned towards Heaven.  Remember that the life we are living today will not last forever.

I guess living the disciplined life for Christ is designed to suck the flesh right out of us!

Live a poured out life for Christ,

Jolene

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37 Comments

  2. OH, this is so good, Jolene. Sometimes I also get so tired of ministry. I just can’t seem to keep up with everything and I end up feeling exactly the way you do. This was a great list of things to concentrate on.

  3. Thanks, Jolene, for being so honest. It’s easy to sugar-coat the position of wife and mother and daughter of God and sometimes I think we do that…only talk about the blessings. But it’s important to address the sacrifices and weariness and the Source for overcoming or even just abiding during those times.
    Thanks also for your link up.
    Gail

  4. Jolene,
    This is a great post, and I think we’ve all been there. I closely read the 9 CPR measures, because I both need them now and I know I’ll need them again soon enough! Allowing Him to carry me is the area I struggle with the most, so thanks for this important reminder for me to keep with me today.
    Blessings,
    Ann
    (via NOBH!)

  5. I felt more and more tired as I read your list, and I was so grateful to find your list of Spiritual CPR at the end. Taking time to rest, to listen and learning to say no can be so crucial to making sure our personal well doesn’t run dry.

    Thanks for sharing at NOBH!

  7. Love your suggestions, Jolene! (Especially take a nap….) I try to focus on the fact that I won’t be in this stage forever. It won’t be long and the children will be grown and gone and I’ll wish they were still needing their food cut up and boo-boo’s kissed and tucked into bed at night. Thanks for the encouragement this Monday morning!

  10. Wonderful devotional that is just as apt for
    us boomers and seniors in the Sandwich Generation – caring for aging parents while still raising kids or babysitting grandchildren. It never gets easier- but we keep on learning, relearning, re-re-learning and growing ever closer to Him! And oh, how we long for heaven in a whole new way! Thank you for the sweet encouragement!

  11. This was just so brutally honest and open! Thank you for that. The sweetest encouragement we all can receive is from Jesus Himself, as He truly understands! He, too, became tired and weak and fell beneath the weight of the cross, and He knew what it felt like to have someone who was compassionate enough to come along side of Him and take up that cross and carry it for Him. And so, we have a two-fold comfort and help: Knowing that He understands, and that He cares enough to revive our spirits with a Comforter. I loved your list of practical CPR. It’s one thing to state the situation, the obvious problems. But to walk away with some boots on to go to combat with —- that is just blessed indeed! Thank you!

  12. We were not promised an easy life…. BUT we were promised that He will never leave us nor forsake us…and we are promised eternal life!!! Praise His NAME!!

  14. I really enjoyed this post. I am now your newest follower. I too get so tired sometimes. I am so thankful for God’s strength that carries me through. Many blessings to you!

  16. Thank you for your honesty! I’m sure you’re not the only tired mama out there, and sometimes we need to see that REAL side of someone else, the one that we all have, the problem emotions that we all face.

    PS–I referenced the spiritual race in my blog as well today, except it was relating to weight loss. I almost used your same passage but decided on another instead.

  17. Thank you so much for posting this so honestly! It’s definitely great to hear that you aren’t the only one whose worn out! Just discovered your blog and am your newest follower! Can’t wait to read more from you!

  18. I almost could have written a very similar post minus the husband and kids part 🙂 since I don’t have any of that to contend with at the moment. But I understand the feeling of being tired of service. Just this morning God had to remind me that all the service I do comes from an overflow of my relationship with Him. The times I feel most weary is when I failed to stay properly connected to Him.

  19. I’m tired, too. Thank you so much for reminding us ways to get charged back up. I already knew them, but I need someone to keep telling me!

    Thank you.

  20. I can totally relate to being tired of it all…especially with the heat we are having here in Belize. And I love your tips!

  21. Hey Jolene How are you? Its been long since I visited your blog.. I was quite busy at home. This article simply resonates with me ..this is how I sometimes feel…I am trying my best to be gentle but sometimes fails miserably.

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