For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good (Romans 7:15–16, ESV).
Many Christians are tired; some are very tired. They don’t have the passion for God they once had and feel a vague guilt about it. The sequence follows a predictable pattern: seasons of renewed expectation and energetic pursuit, followed by encroaching disappointment and, finally, utter exhaustion.
They wonder, What’s wrong with me? Why don’t I learn? Why don’t I change? Will things ever be different? They have tried serving, spending themselves working for Christ as they search for a fuller Christian experience through ministry involvement. Exhausted, they pull back for a season and pursue knowledge, digging into Bible studies, quiet-time schedules, and books about spiritual disciplines. That too lasts for a season, and some good certainly comes of growth through serving and focused time in God’s Word.
Yet, too often they feel like the joy they were promised at conversion is still eluding them. Other seasons of worthy pursuits may come and go—worship, serving the poor, missions, evangelism, prayer, etc. All of it fueled by a sincere intent to live as God desires, followed by failure, frustration, and exhaustion.
Does any of this sound familiar?
The apostle Paul faced the same dilemma: a desire to do good but an inability to get it done. What Paul described in Romans 7:15–18, and what many of us experience too often, is the exhausting Christian life.
The victorious Christian life was eluding Paul, and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit he admitted it. Paul acknowledged that at a certain point in time his Christian life was not working. For him it was a temporary problem, but sadly, for many of Jesus’ followers, it’s all they ever experience. Having precepts without power, rules without resources, laws without life is exhausting and ineffective. It is the powerless Christian life.
Forgiven? Yes, but slipping into a lukewarm mediocrity, believers begin to view the dynamic, Spirit-filled, victorious Christian life that God promised as if it was a carrot on the end of a stick. Though well-intentioned, it’s really nothing more than self-powered sanctification, and it always leads to exhaustion.
This dilemma plays out week after week. Believers come to church already exhausted, having failed at living the Christian life in their own strength the past week. They hear a sermon and feel guilty about their disobedience. They promise God they will try harder, and some weeks, if they’re really serious, their promises will last till Tuesday or Wednesday before they fall again. I just don’t have what it takes, they conclude, and settle into a numb, passionless, pseudo-Christian experience.
This kind of living is a knife in the heart of Jesus Christ, who not only died for our forgiveness, but also rose again that He might live His life through us. Just imagine if He was to look at our exhausted Christian experience and think, This is it? This is what I rose for? This is the degree to which you are going to draw down upon My resurrection power? This is the extent to which you’ll let Me live My life through you? This is as good as it gets?
It’s time to make a once-and-for-all decision to be done with the exhausting Christian life. Just as we can’t become Christians until we come to the end of ourselves, we also can’t experience the true Christian life until we come to the end of our own efforts.
We need to recognize we are the problem—we are the reason Christ is not seen in us. And we must stop trying to live in our own strength. Until we let Christ live His life through us, we will always be exhausted.
Journal
How long has it been since you’ve lived with a deep passion for God? What was different about your perspective then?
In what ways do you resonate with the description of the exhausted Christian life?
Pray
My Father, forgive me for trying to live the Christian life in my own strength. No matter how hard I try, I come away feeling exhausted and defeated. Lord, forgive me for thinking I need You to save me, but don’t need You to empower me. I can’t live in my own strength. I’m at the end of myself, and I need You. Will You please live Your life through me? Will You gently show me the ways I rely on my own resources and teach me to live for and by and through You? Thank You for raising Jesus from the dead, not only to give me hope for the next life, but also to give me power for this life. In His powerful name I pray, amen.
Our Journey devotionals are brought to you by Change Partners of Walk in the Word.
The post THE EXHAUSTING CHRISTIAN LIFE first appeared on Koa Sinag.