Hebrews 12:3 is a verse I can’t seem to get out of my head these days. It’s just sort of there, buzzing in the background like the hum of a refrigerator. I can almost ignore it, and then, suddenly, I can’t: Consider Jesus, who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. —Hebrews 12:3
Weariness is a part of life. I know that there are seasons when it seems as though I’m running through thick mud. But here, the writer of Hebrews is pointing out that there is an exercise we can do that will relieve us from weariness.
Now the weariness that is being referred to here isn’t so much a physical weariness; rather, it’s an emotional weariness, a weary spirit. Anyone who’s doing anything knows that there are times when it seems like no matter what you do, there just isn’t enough juice in the tank to meet the challenges ahead. People are difficult, work can be challenging, and at times the pace at which life is happening, both good and bad, just saps us of our ability to manage well.
How My Work as a Pastor Nearly Killed Me!
A couple of years ago, I had a six-month stretch where it felt like I was drowning. My staff thought I was going to either quit or drop dead. The ironic part is that things were going good! Looking back, I was running at a pace that no human can sustain. I was sprinting a marathon. It nearly killed me.
But other times, things are not going so good. Every one of us goes through fire. Every one of us gets pinched in the hinges of relationships and work. What then?
