(BP) On Tiredness

"How about you?” A friend asked me after sharing her prayer request. “Hm… I guess pray that I could be more faithful and humble.” She gave me a subtle smile and said, “such prayer would usually lead to some ‘assignment’ for us to learn.” And that's true. If not leading to refinements and even trials.

I think we all have experience of a deeper kind of tiredness some point in life. It is usually not about physical labouring. Rather, something deeper than what a 15-hour sleep or a luxurious meal in our favourite restaurant can heal.

There are certainly times we are afraid to make commitment that would potentially tire us out. But in some cases, I believe what concerns us the most is whether our toil will be meaningful or go into vanity. In other words, there are occasions we are not being unwilling to pour out our limited time and energy, but instead, we want to make sure things we sacrifice will grow into something worthy and meaningful. The end goal of the investment of time, endeavor and resources on our education, career, professional training is not the diploma itself, but something bigger. Isn't life as well?

I love this quotation, “The only purpose that is worthy of life is something bigger than life itself.” (John Ortberg) Heaven and earth will one day cease to exist, our earthly life will one day come to an end. But pouring out like a drink offering for the Giver and Savior of life is promising, for He already promised “Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!” (Psalm 126:5) And, “the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” (Galatians 6:8)

A while ago, my friend and I were praying about family salvation and our life growth. I can't recite her prayer, but she prayed something like “God, please refine our life and our love to you, even we know such prayer will put us into refinements.” It's truly a blessing and honour to pray with people like this. For if life is by no means easy, sowing seeds in things retain eternal meaning gives us hope and joy to endure, even we may not see the everlasting fruit for now.

For at the end of the day, even after toiling and exhaustion in trials and refinements, we can still confidently say, “it worths it.”

“You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts? And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape.’ Then those who fear the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name. ‘They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him.” (Malachi 3:14-17)