When Trying to Live the Christian Life is Exhausting

June 20, 2024

Life is often exhausting. It requires a lot of strength, a lot of energy to live life especially when we're trying to do the right thing rather than the easiest thing.

There are a lot of people in life that don't try to do the right thing; they just want to do whatever's the easiest thing. We can coast through life if we always do the easiest thing. But when we're coasting, we're always going downhill.  

On the other hand, when we try to do the right thing, even though it's not the easiest thing—that requires energy. That requires effort and strength.

Ever get tired of doing what's right? Sure. Because it's tough moving against the flow, When all the culture is going one way and we're trying to do the right thing, it's tough. The more we try to do what's right, the more energy it's going to require. Yet God says in Galatians 6:9 “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”

But where do we get the power to do the right thing when we don't feel like doing it and we're dead tired?

2 Cor. 1:21-22 “It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts…"  

The key to not getting tired and giving up and doing the right thing is allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us and through us. It's He who energizes us, not us in our own power.  

The reason why some of us are tired all the time is because we are TRYing to live the Christian life and that doesn't work. We're TRYing to be like Jesus. We're TRYing to do good. We're TRYing to keep the Ten Commandments. We're TRYing to be a person of integrity. We're TRYing, TRYing... And we get tired.  

People say "It's so hard to be a Christian today!" It's not hard. It's impossible. The only perfect person who ever lived was Jesus Christ. He's the only one who ever lived the Christian life perfectly.

What we need to do, rather than TRY to be like Jesus, LET Jesus be Jesus IN us. Let Jesus be Jesus through us. Stop TRYing and TRYing and just start TRUSTing and TRUSTing. 

The key to the Christian life is not TRYing, it's TRUSTing.

It's not psych yourself up, work real hard, try to do your best and perform so God will smile at you. It's relax, trust and let Christ live through you. Be obedient in the little things. Allow the Holy Spirit to work on you from the inside out.

The closer you grow in relationship with Jesus, the more you will start to be like Him. You start with Jesus, and you’ll begin to pick up his desires and character, NOT the other way around. 

Trying to live the Christian life in your own strength doesn't ever lead to freedom. Trusting and following Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit does. In fact, that difference changes everything.