Why do I feel so exhausted after the revival? This question has been floating around in my head for quite a while now. Is something wrong with you and me if we feel weary after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit?
Shouldn’t we feel reinvigorated after this life-altering event? Shouldn’t we feel even more on fire for God and passionate about His plans for us?
Yes and no.
God is doing something new within every one of us— and that can be incredibly painful and tiring. The Holy Spirit’s presence does not make us invincible regarding sorrow and frustration. We still have to cling to God just as hard as before the revival.
The enemy likes to kick us in the back of the knees as soon as Jesus mobilizes us. He attacks our strength and passion through weariness and anxiety in a desperate attempt to slow us down. When Christ calls us, we act. Satan knows this. So, he hits us where we’re most vulnerable. He strips us of our confidence, motivation and hope. The enemy loves bringing back old fears and rooting his way into old strongholds, filling us with shame when we succumb to past vices.
Why is it still just as hard, if not harder, to follow you, God?
Exhaustion can blind us to the places in our lives that we still haven’t entrusted to our Heavenly Father.
Maybe you’re weary because you’re trying to work out God’s plans through your own strength. You felt like God was telling you to do something, so you charged with passion and excitement. However, you forgot whose strength you needed to perform the task. It takes humility, patience, and vulnerability to allow God to take the lead with your next steps.
Maybe you’re weary because the peace you felt in Hughes hasn’t stuck around. It’s easy to try and manufacture that peace when we’re desperate. Yet God’s calling us to turn to Him repeatedly. We have to surrender our needs and wants. We must be persistent and patient in expectant hope.
Maybe you’re weary because you’re upset with God’s timing. The revival was a welcome and needed upheaval but also highly disruptive. It’s had lasting effects on our psyches. Regardless of how well our previous routines worked, we can’t function as before.
The Lord has made us into new creations and given us new desires and longings. This is a good thing! Don’t be distressed or disappointed in your inability to fall back into the regular, everyday grind. God is a jealous God. He doesn’t want us to go back to who we were before when we were subject to distractions and devoted to deadlines. God wants to lavish His love on us and draw us nearer than ever before.
As painful as it may be, we must apply what we’ve learned to our reality today. Jesus promises never to leave us nor forsake us. He will equip us and be our strength when we are weary.
