“Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness! I say: The LORD is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in Him.” Lamentations 3:22-24, HCSB
What do you do when you are drained?
Emotional exhaustion isn’t foreign to people in the Bible – Job, Elijah, Naomi, David, Jeremiah, and even Jesus experienced it. When Jeremiah wrote the book of Lamentations, Jerusalem had been captured, and the Israelites were in exile. Everything Jeremiah held sacred had been ruined.
Jeremiah was emotionally exhausted! For an entire book of the Bible, Jeremiah released his frustrations and expressed his emotions to God. In the midst of his complaints, he focused on these aspects of God’s character: steadfast love, unfailing mercy, great faithfulness, and kindness.
Jeremiah chose hope over despair, and his hope was not disappointed.
When life overwhelms you, don’t pretend it’s not happening. Denial won’t do you any good. Be honest with yourself and express your feelings to God. You can do this without letting your problems become your main focus. Instead, fix your eyes on God by remembering who He is and what He’s done for you.
Emotional exhaustion is similar to being really hungry. You need to eat something healthy, not the empty calories from the junk food. Chocolate may sound good when you are starved, but it won’t give you what your body needs. Similarly, God made your emotions, and He’s the only one who knows how to bring you restoration when you need it most.
Make it your habit every morning to be renewed by God’s mercies. God’s faithfulness is the fuel you need.