Grief Exhaustion–God’s Refreshing for Those Who Suffer

I, too have been assigned months of futility, long and weary nights of misery. Lying in bed, I think, ‘When will it be morning?’ But the night drags on, and I toss till dawn. Job 7:3-4, NLT

GRIEF EXHAUSTION

Grief and sorrow create an exhaustion that takes hold of your mind, body, and spirit. I call it Grief Exhaustion

Early in grief we weep and wail , sleeping and eating little. Once the pressing details of loss are taken care of, day-to-day drudgery takes over. The simplest things drain every bit of our reserves. Job’s sentiments of enduring “months of futility” and “weary nights of misery” ting true in our lives.

Signs of Grief Exhaustion

There are definite signs of grief exhaustion:

• Poor Short Term Memory -difficulty completing thoughts or sentences, remembering tasks
• Difficulty focusing on things
• Physical pain and fatigue
• Numbness that permeates mind, heart, and body
• Sleep doesn’t relieve the fatigue

Letting God Refresh You

For I have given rest to the weary and joy to the sorrowing. Jeremiah 31:35, NLT

God’s refreshing is a gift you can’t receive if you are not aware it is there. Like any gift–you have to accept it.

Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water. John 4:10, NLT

It is easy to see obstacles to His refreshing.

“But sir, you don’t have a rope or bucket,”she said,”and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water? And besides, do you think you are greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?” John 4:11-12, NLT

Your response to God’s gift may sound more like this: “But God, how can you possibly refresh me? My grief and sorrow is so deep and affects every part of my life. Where would this refreshing and rest even come from? I’ve already tried everything on my own and this really does seem as good as it gets. Maybe this is the only way it can be done.”

Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring withing them, giving them eternal life.” John 4:13-14, NLT

His response to your objections may be: “You can continue to try to walk this path alone. You can rely on the things you are doing and the relief they give, but they are only temporary rest and comfort. I am offering you a sustaining rest, refilling, and refreshing that is long lasting. It leads to eternal restoration, rest, and HOPE.”

“Please sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.” John 4:15

The woman at the well recognized her need for the refreshing that comes from the gift Jesus was offering. He’s  offering you the same gift. Specific steps on How to embrace the Gift of refreshing from God can be found in Finding Rest in the Midst of Grief .

These verses are typically about salvation, but I believe they fit well with our quest for refreshing from Grief Exhaustion.

Have you ever been introduced to the one who offers the gift of eternal life as well as rest in the midst of grief? If you have never asked Jesus for His living water that  brings eternal life, you can find information on how to do that here.

This post is part of a 31 day series on Hope for Grieving Hearts. To see all of the posts in this series, click the button below. Thank you for reading. I hope you are blessed and encouraged.