Why Are You So Tired?

There are many reasons we get fatigued.  The good news is that many of them can be remedied.  Here’s one reason we are more fatigued than we need to be:

We Carry What We Should Not Carry 

Think of the extra work the heart muscle has to exert when we are carrying more weight, than we should carry.  The heart wears out faster and it has to work harder because the body is carrying what it should not carry.

Now, that’s a physical example of a deeper truth. 

When we carry responsibility for others, that is legitimately THEIRS to carry, but we are either co-dependent or enablers, we are carrying what we should not carry. 

And the result is, the other person never grows up, never accepts responsibility, never faces their addiction, or never learns financial responsibility, because we CARRY WHAT WE SHOULD NOT CARRY. 

The only thing that happens is we live an exhausted life.

Moses led two million people from where they were as slaves in Egypt, to the promised land.  And as he did that, the task of leadership wore him out and broke him down. 

In desperate fatigue, Moses went to his father-in-law for advice.  His father-in-law said,

“You are going to wear yourself out and the people too.  This job is too heavy a burden for you to handle all by yourself.”  Exodus 18:18 

And he gave Moses a lesson on delegation.

When Jesus was confronted by people who had tried to keep and carry all the rules of religion, tons of “DO THIS, DON’T DO THAT,” Piles of structure, Loads of ritual,  Jesus said, “That’s not what God had in mind.  He wants a relationship WITH you, not a religion placed UPON you.  You’re carrying stuff,” He said, “That you don’t have to carry.”   Look at Jesus’ own words, 

“Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest…For My yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”         Matthew 11:28, 30

Ask yourself:  What are you carrying, but you KNOW it’s not really yours to carry? 

Are you doing all the parenting, while your spouse takes a pass?

Are you carrying a business, while your partner coasts? 

Do you feel the weight of keeping a friendship in tact, but your “friend” seems to care less than you?

There comes a time in life to lay your burden down.  Lay down the stuff that is wearing you out, when it is not yours to carry alone. 

If you want to live a life of victory and not fatigue, you have to learn to travel light.

Brad Johnson is Pastor of California Community Church, Agoura Hills, CA

www.californiacommunitychurch.com