Topical Bible: Being Tired

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Definition and Context:
Being tired, or experiencing fatigue, is a common human condition characterized by a lack of energy and motivation. In the biblical context, tiredness can be both physical and spiritual. It is a state that affects all people, regardless of their faith or status, and is often mentioned in the Bible in relation to work, rest, and reliance on God.

Biblical References:

1. Physical Tiredness:
The Bible acknowledges the reality of physical exhaustion. In the Old Testament, we see examples of individuals who experienced physical tiredness due to labor and travel. For instance, in Genesis 25:29-30, Esau returns from the field "famished" and "weary," highlighting the physical toll of his work. Similarly, in John 4:6, Jesus Himself, "wearied from His journey," sits by Jacob's well, demonstrating that even the Son of God experienced physical fatigue.

2. Spiritual Tiredness:
Spiritual tiredness or weariness is also addressed in Scripture. Isaiah 40:30-31 speaks to this condition: "Even youths grow faint and weary, and young men stumble and fall. But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint." This passage offers hope and encouragement, emphasizing the renewal of strength through reliance on God.

3. Rest as a Divine Provision:
The Bible presents rest as a divine provision for overcoming tiredness. The concept of Sabbath rest, as instituted in Genesis 2:2-3, underscores the importance of rest in God's creation order. Jesus also invites the weary to find rest in Him, as seen in Matthew 11:28-29: "Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

4. Work and Rest Balance:
Scripture encourages a balance between work and rest. Ecclesiastes 3:1 states, "To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven," suggesting that there is a time for labor and a time for rest. The diligent worker is commended in Proverbs 6:6-11, yet the need for rest is also recognized, as seen in the example of Jesus withdrawing to solitary places to pray and rest (Mark 1:35).

5. Encouragement in Weariness:
The Bible offers encouragement to those who are tired, urging believers to persevere. Galatians 6:9 exhorts, "Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." This encouragement is rooted in the promise of God's faithfulness and the ultimate reward for endurance.

Theological Implications:
Being tired is a reminder of human limitations and the need for dependence on God. It points to the necessity of rest, both physical and spiritual, as a gift from God. The biblical response to tiredness involves trusting in God's provision, seeking His strength, and maintaining a balance between work and rest. Through Christ, believers find ultimate rest and renewal, both in this life and in the life to come.

Topical Bible Verses

Isaiah 40:30
Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
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Isaiah 40:29
He gives power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increases strength.
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Matthew 11:28
Come to me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
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Library

The Woman of Samaria.
... Coming, then, to this well, and being tired with the forenoon's walk, our Lord sat
down, while the disciples went forward to the town to buy bread. ...
/.../the expositors bible the gospel of st john vol i/ix the woman of samaria.htm

Persis
... They are not afraid of being tired in their pursuit of business or pleasure, but
in regard to Christ's work they will let anything go to wrack and ruin rather ...
/.../maclaren/romans corinthians to ii corinthians chap v/persis.htm

On Creation
... the same thing. The patriarch Jacob was on a journey, and being tired,
he lay down to rest with his head upon a stone. As he lay ...
/.../kinkead/baltimore catechism no 4/lesson 4 on creation.htm

The True Manner of Keeping Holy the Lord's Day.
... For want of this preparation, thyself and thy servants being tired with labour and
watching the night before, are so heavy, that when you should be serving God ...
/.../bayly/the practice of piety/the true manner of keeping.htm

Early Battles
... Said to lieutenant, as we crept home"and we feel we may have the luxury of being
tired out on a Sunday night"that next to being an angel, there is no ...
/.../carpenter/the angel adjutant of twice born men/iv early battles.htm

Bad Ecclesiastics and Base Plots
... Here indeed was a delightful preacher! Castricia, Marsa, Epigraphia, could
listen to such sermons for ever without being tired! ...
/.../chapter xxxix bad ecclesiastics and.htm

Thus Far I have Made Answer About My Crimes, and Indeed in Defence ...
... That most approved faith of his is in great peril at Rome, and yet he lies on his
back, being a bit tired after thirty years, and cannot make that very easy ...
/.../1 thus far i have.htm

Missed Ends
... And being tired and needing a change, she had to go and rest for awhile; but no
one was sent to guard her gap, and over and over the people fell, like a ...
/.../wilson-carmichael/things as they are/chapter vi missed ends.htm

Wesley in Wales
... Our horses being well tired and ourselves thoroughly wet, we rested the remainder
of the day; the rather, [17] because several of the family understood English ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/wesley/the journal of john wesley/wesley in wales 3.htm

The Folly and Danger of Being not Righteous Enough
... My dear brethren, the fashionable ones, who take delight in hunting, are not tired
of being continually on horseback after their hounds; and when once you are ...
/.../whitefield/selected sermons of george whitefield/the folly and danger of.htm