Mental Fatigue

Heb 12:3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

It is one thing to be physically tired. A nap, a weekend or a vacation can help a tired body. But being fatigued in the mind wreaks great havoc in life. When our minds are wore out, we become despondent, depressed and prone to giving up. By the way, if you are tempted to throw in the towel, note that pain is temporary, quitting is forever.

Do you sometimes get up on the wrong side of the bed? Do your loved ones say the wrong things or say them in the wrong tone of voice? Does your agenda suffer setback at every turn? Is your to do list as long as January in in Minnesota? Do you have way too much month at the end of your money? Are inflated gas prices making you fearful? Is the housework piling up into mountains you cannot even see over?

Your oil needs changed, your back is nagging you again, your marriage has little fizz left, the kids are unruly, the boss is the north end of a south bound horse, your mom may need to go into the nursing home, cable news gives you a steady diet of jihad, terror, earthquakes, school shootings and rioting. Is it really any wonder that so many of us are wearied and faint in our minds?

Hebrews gives us an answer to mental fatigue. We need compare what we are going through to what the Savior endured. When we do, we will feel a lot better about our plight. He endured the cross. He put up with the shame of hanging naked for 6 hours on a cross with a beaten and broken body, His life blood pouring out upon the ground. Compared to what He went through, most of us have it pretty easy and simple.

The mind is a battle ground. The enemy knows that if he can tire our minds, we will have no strength for the battle. Paul said to gird up the loins of our minds. He said to think on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous and praiseful. And if we realize that the crosses we bear will one day be exchanged for crowns, we can continue on in the strength of the Lord.

In other words, much is to be said about a positive mental attitude, based on the promises of God and His ability to carry us through what He has brought us to.

As I saw one day on the mirror of Roy Acuff, long time emcee of the Grand Ole Opry, "Ain't nothing gonna happen today that me and the Lord can't handle." That's the kind of mindset that will prevent mental fatigue.

Read the Word today, claim His promises, look for the blessings, realize that opposition and setbacks are allowed by the Lord for our growth. Keep telling yourself "God is good, all the time, and all the time, God is good!"