Have you ever had a season of life when you think to yourself, I just can’t do this anymore?  I’m in one of those seasons.  What God called me to do, I will do, but over the years, it’s taken everything out of me.  My entire being says, Just quit!  I can’t quit.  I’m not a quitter – never have been.  I’m far too stubborn and strong-willed to simply give up and walk away.  But there is also a part of me that is acutely aware of my mortal limits…and I feel as though I’ve reached them in this matter.

I don’t want to hear my own pep talks anymore.  I can no longer weigh the pros and cons and attempt to try to understand why things are the way they are.  I’m tired of looking for the finish line over the horizon.  I want to be done.  I’m not caught in a web of self-pity, it’s more like I’m desperate to do the right thing, but feel I have nothing left in me to do it.

There really is nothing left to say, I just have to do what I was called to do.  I am no longer running, walking, or even crawling toward the finish line.  I am simply inching my way along, hoping to reach the goal.

I don’t resent the task, on the contrary, I’ve embraced it.  I want to make God proud of me for how I’ve run the race.  But I’m struggling between ideology and reality.  The reality is, I don’t know where to find the strength, passion, or enthusiasm to do what He’s asked me to do.

So where do we turn when we are used up, burnt out, and are totally over a task that calls our name and won’t let us go?   I’ve got nothing except Scripture to lean on.  2 Timothy 3:16-17 assures us that All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 

If you’re in a similar place in life, perhaps these Scriptures will help you, too.

1 Corinthians 9:24 – Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 

Philippians 4:13 – I can everything through Christ who gives me strength.

Hebrews 12:1-2 – Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 

Philippians 2:14 – Do everything without complaining or arguing. 

Isaiah 40:28-31 – Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles;    they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. 

Ephesians 2:10 – For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Philippians 3:13-14 – …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. 

2 Timothy 4:7 – I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  

Hebrews 13:20-21 – May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 

Everyone runs their own race, and no two races look the same.  Why we spend energy comparing them I do not know.  Instead, let’s cheer each other on today. There is a race to run, to win.  Are we going to finish it, win it?  David’s words in Psalm 18 are a great fight song for today as we take one step at a time, putting one foot in front of the other.  May we find strength in our God, who is faithful and loving toward all He has made, to run one more day…

Psalm 18:30-36…