What Do You Do When Coffee Doesn't Cut It Anymore?

I often think back to my younger years at university and marvel at the man I used to be and the energy I had. In a single day, I’d attend lectures at 8 am, hang out with friends, work my part-time job from 3-7 pm, hang out with friends again, and then come home to study for an exam or finish some papers due. 

At this stage of my life (the ripe old age of 35), completing one of those activities in a day is enough to physically exhaust me, let alone all of them. Physical exhaustion is something we all experience, and in most cases, time at home, sleep, or the less-recommended option of copious amounts of coffee/energy drinks would be enough to replenish our energy once more. 

However, physical exhaustion is not the only exhaustion we experience. Life has a way of wearing us down emotionally as well. We experience the death of multiple loved ones in a short period of time, break-ups, job loss; the list is endless.

Our emotional exhaustion can not only lead to a deterioration of our physical well-being, but can often culminate in spiritual exhaustion. Life's constant trials and pain bring about a weariness in our souls that makes our spiritual life feel heavy, burdensome, and more like a chore than something life-giving. 

Our physical, spiritual, and emotional states are intertwined, and when there’s unaddressed exhaustion in one, it inevitably affects us elsewhere, too. For the visual readers of this blog, you can think of it in terms of the diagram below:

A Soul in Agony

The book of Psalms is not filled with Christian cliches, nor is it a reflection of a “perfect life” or a perfect faith. Rather, in many of the writings you get these beautiful examples of poetry that can be used in good times, bad times, and everything in between. I would argue that many of the writings perfectly reflect the Psalmist's ever-present struggle, in which his physical experiences affect his emotional self, leading to the spiritual agony he endures as he cries out to God. 

In Psalm 42:5, we read, "Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?" Whatever the Psalmist was going through at this stage was enough to tear him down spiritually, because the pain of the soul is more than just physical or emotional; it hurts us deep within. 

What does a soul that is cast down and in turmoil look like? It probably can look different depending on the person. However, I believe a common experience is a loss of desire for God.

Now when I say a loss of desire, I don’t mean a complete disbelief or turning away from Christ altogether. Rather, a loss of desire can simply take on the appearance of being exhausted from praying for the same thing without an answer, of a tiredness from the trials and tests that come our way, or of a loss of the joy we once had. It’s essentially telling God, “Can we just move on to the next thing, because I’m done with whatever you’re trying to do here?” 

Restoring your soul

A loss of desire for God will often bring us to the point the Psalmist describes: a cast-down soul, an overwhelming sense of agony and turmoil, where your tears are your food, and there is a constant feeling of being forgotten by the Lord. If this is where you are right now, I would like to offer some encouragement from the same Psalm about how we can restore our soul and find that desire once more. 

• Recognize what will satisfy you (v. 1-2). Although it feels like God is the reason for our agony, he is also the only thing that will satisfy us in this time.  We were designed for his purpose, and therefore, it’s only right that just as water restores us from our physical fatigue, the Living God will help restore us from our spiritual fatigue.
• Pouring out your Soul (v. 4). Don’t deny the loss of desire, spiritual fatigue, or agony that you are feeling. Rather, pour out your soul to the Lord. In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus calls the weary and heavy burdened to come to him. As mentioned earlier, neglecting your spiritual exhaustion can then affect your physical and emotional states. We need to bring this to the Lord and let him work in our hearts, no matter how hard it is. 
• Hope in God  (v. 5 & 11). When you feel ready to give up, hold on to the hope that there will be a day coming when you will no longer feel this way. Remind yourself that you will praise the Lord again and put on your favorite worship song to remind you of God’s love and mercy. 

The Christian journey is hard, and as is so often quoted, the hardest thing about it is that it’s daily. So, as Monday Christians, let’s not ignore our spiritual state and act like we should be on fire for the Lord 24/7, or pretend each Sunday that we are okay when asked at church. We will become exhausted, and we will become weary, and there's nothing wrong with that, but like a strong coffee or a cold energy drink for your tired body, let the living water that does not run dry sustain you through.