Sick and tired. (3)

Losing perspective when we are weary.

We all run out of energy sometimes and have to face the problem of being weary. Last week we saw that when we become weary, we are defenceless against the enemy. We are like a vulnerable sheep to the wolf.

But we also lose our proper perspective when we are weary. The best. known Bible story to illustrate this is found in Genesis 25:29-34. Its the story of Esau selling his birthright. Notice why he sold it: Because he was famished! He was starved, he was wanting, yes, he was in physical need!
"And when Jacob had cooked stew, Esau came in from the field and he was famished; and Esau said to Jacob, ‘Please let me have a swallow of that red stuff there, for I am famished.’... But Jacob said, ‘First sell me your birthright.’ And Esau said, ‘Behold, I am about to die; so of what use then is the birthright to me?’ And Jacob said, ‘first swear to me;’ so he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew; and he ate and drank, and rose and went on his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright."

It was because Esau was physically exhausted, weary and hungry, that he sold his birthright and lost his proper perspective, and so can we.
Take Note that weariness makes you to pay more attention to your physical and emotional needs, than to your spiritual needs. If you are sick and tired, you usually are more inclined to “looking through physical eyes.”
Because Esau was famished, he could not see what was really important any more, and missed out on the blessing of God.

Even in the Lord’s prayer Jesus allows us to pray for bread, before we ask for the forgiveness of our sins. Jesus knows that a famished person can hardly think of sins, temptations and forgiving his neighbour. We need bread, our most basic physical needs met, in order to gain proper perspective on our spiritual health.

What we really need is spiritual vision. Jesus also quoted Moses in saying that “man cannot live form bread alone, but from every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord!” We desperately need bread, rest, health and to be physically relaxed. Then we will have the energy and the perspective to repent, to forgive and to seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, knowing that we will receive everything else from the Lord we serve. We need to learn how to rest by to trust and obey.

When we grow weary, we tend to lose our proper perspective on God’s reality. But even when I am sick and tired, I must remember that God is still on the throne. We need to see that. We need to know and believe that!
If you are weary, you are more inclined to “looking through physical eyes.”
Yet it remains the best time to learn how to rest by to trust and obey.