“Gideon . . crossed over, exhausted but still in pursuit.” Judges 8:4 NKJV
“When your strength wanes and you grow weary, let God be your strength.”
My thoughts today ask, “Exhausted?”
Life is sometimes tiring, to say the least. You can easily become exhausted, giving in to what seems inevitable or giving up on what appears unchangeable. It has been said, “Fatigue makes cowards of us all.” (General George S. Patton). When you are exhausted, you want to quit. Everything feels more difficult. Responsibilities weigh heavier than they are; tasks seem more complicated; schedules are more burdensome; problems seem bigger, less manageable. You just “don’t feel like it,” whatever it is. Sometimes you just have to keep on keeping on. There are things you can’t just quit; there are some things you must not quit. When I feel like giving up on something or someone, I can hear my Dad’s voice softly saying, “Allen, quitters never win.”
Solomon observed, “The race is not to the swift, or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise, or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to all.” Ecclesiastes 9:11 NIV. I would suggest that oftentimes success is reserved for the one who doesn’t quit when others do, who doesn’t stop running before crossing the finish line, or who fights after others give up because the battle seems lost. “Don’t get tired of doing what is good. Don’t get discouraged and give up . .” Galatians 6:9-10 NLT.
Long before you get to such a place or moment, recognize and replenish. “God . . gives power to those who are tired and worn out; He offers strength to the weak . . they that wait upon the Lord will find new strength.” Read Isaiah 40:28-31 NLT. When your strength wanes and grows weary, turn to the One who “never grows faint or weary.”
After Gideon, with only 300 men, routed the thousands of Midianites who came against them, the battle was well begun and miraculously accomplished just as God had said, but there was still work to be done. Read Judges 7:19-22 NIV. Gideon was not content to win a battle; he wanted to eliminate an adversary. Never settle for temporary relief instead of lasting release.
The Midianites who did not kill one another in their confusion fled for safety across the Jordan. Gideon, with a growing army of others now willing to join in time for the victory parade, pursued the fleeing army. “Gideon and his three hundred men, exhausted yet keeping up the pursuit, came to the Jordan and crossed it . . thus Midian was subdued and . . during Gideon’s lifetime, the land enjoyed peace forty years.” Judges 8:4/28 NIV. What a description: “exhausted yet keeping up the pursuit.” Half measures never bring you total victory. Keep pursuing! 1 Timothy 6:11-12 NIV.
Accepting second best results in settling for mediocrity. I want it to be said of me that I was intent on the pursuit of everything God had for me, and the family I lead, and the church I serve – personally, pastorally, and professionally. Let your soul’s cry be as the Apostle Paul’s, “I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me . . but one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:12-14 NLT. Exhausted? Yes. Quitting? No!
My prayer for you today is that you pursue Godliness with tenacity.