SICK AND TIRED

Last week I got hit with the flu. Not sure if it was H1N1, but they gave me Tamiflu, Zpac and lots of rest. It’s no fun being sick.

Now this week rolls around and I’m back into my regular routine, but still feeling a bit sick and tired. Oh not sick and tired like “I’m really sick and tired of the mess in Washington” or “I’m sick and tired of eating leftovers”, but still just a little sick and a little bit tired by the end of the day.

I was pondering that statement and wondered how many people go through life sick and tired. I mean beyond just a little flu bug and fatigue. But I mean people who are really sick and tired of life, job, family, spouse, church, etc. all the while not knowing what to do about their feelings?

I believe there are lots of people in this world, especially here in America, that are sick and tired of their lot in life. Now granted, most of us Americans live cushy lives compared to two thirds of the rest of the planet, but even right here in the good ol’ US of A, I think people are pretty sick and tired.

Paul the Apostle tells us that “godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6), but really, how many people live that charge? We have been seduced into discontentment.

We are plied with two lies that most find inescapable. Lie #1: you’ll never be good enough or happy enough. Lie #2: if you buy this or have this or wear this or live here or there, you will be. The unfortunate thing is lie #2 is just that… a lie. And lie #1 is so ingrained into our psyche that we just keep running on that crazy treadmill and we’re getting pretty sick and tired of it all.

So what’s the answer? A new job? A new car? A new house? A new spouse? A new faith? A new church? A new TV? I don’t think so.

The answer is this: Accept the fact that you never will measure up, but in Christ you have all you need and there is no working or earning your place in that relationship. Relax… find that Rest you read about in Hebrews. Secondly, take a look at how great your life really is. At any given moment in time, there are thousands and even millions of individuals that are far worse off than you are. Give thanks for crying out loud.

So the next time you’re just sick and tired, thank God that you’re NOT really sick or so tire that you can’t make it another day, because the cancer has overwhelmed you or you’ve been evicted from your home or worse yet you’re just bored and discontented.

I’m thankful to have been sick and just fatigued. And nothing worse.