“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall.” Isaiah 40:29-30 NIV
In our society, we don’t have permission to say we’re tired or need a break. It’s a sign of weakness and mediocrity.
Yes, people with this perspective are beginning to see the light, but with the hustle culture mentality, no one is allowed to lag.
The scripture says otherwise. It’s like God permits us to be tired and weak. Why?
He created us. He knows how frail we are without Him. He’s the manufacturer and understands His products.
As products, we judge ourselves harshly. The toaster laughs at the iron because it can’t toast bread. The Iron laughs at the microwave because it can’t iron clothes. Each one projects its insecurities on another. That’s what we do.
But God’s spirit empowers us to become all He wants us to be. We’re not all supposed to be microwaves or toasters, so trying to be something else will get us burned out faster.
It’s okay to stumble, fall, be tired, call in sick, or feel weak. Be true to yourself and ask God for strength. He has the perfect tweak, so your engine is up and running again in no time, with no extra charges or hidden fees.
How can we follow God’s example in treating others at work?
I used to get angry when others would call in sick or say they couldn’t do a task because they were tired. It sounded alien to me because I would strive to do what was needed no matter what.
But I was living in denial and didn’t respect my own body. I didn’t want to admit that I also got tired and made mistakes because it made me feel weak.
I wanted to look and act perfect in front of my teammates and leaders, and I got so overworked that I was burned out for an extended period.
And then I learned the hard lesson: when you love yourself, you’ll know how to love others.
When you permit yourself to be human, it becomes easy to allow others too, without feeling a certain way.
The same way God empowers us to feel stronger and more capable of doing the impossible is the same responsibility we have towards others around us.
“In my lifetime, I need to give myself permission to…”
We get so serious with life that we forget to do the things that make us come alive. Perhaps you need permission to have more fun, play with clay, rest, take care of an orphan, not work so much, etc.
Let your mind run free and write down some of the activities you wish you could do more.
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