Tired, Not Really!

2 Corinthians 4:8-10 Paul writes, “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.”

I am tired. Just when I think I have gotten some energy back, I’m tired again. I think there are more people who are tired than there are who have energy. Just look at all of the energy drinks out there. There are tons of them, from purely chemical to purely organic, from some with tropical rainforest fruits to straight corn syrup, you can find an energy drink to suit anyone. Why are there so many energy drinks? Because people are tired.

Paul’s words to the Corinthians shows me why I’m so tired. Afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, struck down, carrying death and carrying life. Just reading those words make me tired. How about you? It is the life of the sinner saint, the paradox of Christian existence that wears down the human soul and body. Luther wrote in the Large Catechism about this very thing. The human becomes a target of an enemy that never sleeps nor grows weary. Temptations pop up constantly, like little advertisements on your computer. Just when you click one away, a new one is there. What do you do when you can’t stop them from coming? You shut off the computer and retreat.

When the afflictions, perplexing things, persecution and blows come, you and I as mere human beings cannot withstand them on our own. We run to the death and resurrection of Jesus, the death and life of our Savior that we carry within us. We run to the Lord’s Prayer. That is why we are not crushed, driven to despair, forsaken, nor destroyed. Because if we, through baptism, have been tied to a death like Jesus, we will surely be raised up to new life like him. The sinner/ saint paradox is what it is.

But we still get tired. Spiritual fatigue shows itself often in physical fatigue, at least it does with me. When my spirit is flagging, my body is flagging. That’s when I go to the store and buy a concoction of chemistry and mystical rainforest fruit. I think it’s more psychological than it is real. That feeds my body and wakes it up, but it does nothing for my soul. I pray for the life of Jesus to be manifested in my body. Wow, what a prayer! My soul will grow weary, but Jesus never tires.

Would you be so bold as to pray that prayer with me? As more and more of us suffer from a tired soul, would you pray that the life of Jesus would be manifested, would show itself in your body? Let’s see what the Lord has in store with that one!

Heavenly Father, though we grow tired from the constant battle, the death and life every day, we pray that through the power of your Holy Spirit, that the life of your Son, Jesus would be made manifest in our bodies today! Amen, Amen, Amen!