This morning I have been reading from a book called The Cure for Soul Fatigue by Pastor Karl Haffner. In it he describes the stresses found in our 'too busy' lives and gives the cure by helping us identify what is meaningful and of purpose in our lives. I was especially blessed by these paragraphs, and would like to share them with you."For it is by grace you have been saved," the apostle Paul reminds us, "through faith --- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God --- not by works, so that on one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8,9). Perhaps the most potent fertilizer for soul fatigue is our inability to grasp this concept of grace. For when we begin to understand the irrational nature of God's love, it frees the spirit to live fully. Understanding grace empowers us to buckle up and drive again.
John's gospel records the story of a disciple who failed his best friend so severely, he thought his mistake had pushed him beyond the boundaries of grace. Make no mistake, Peter had pulled some spectacular blunders in the past --- the time he sank while walking on water, the time he spoke the words of Satan, the time he whacked off a soldier's ear --- but nothing like the time he denied knowing Jesus. Sometimes we crash com completely that it feels irredeemable. The soul is totaled. Write it off.
What's so amazing about this story, however, is that when Peter most felt the crushing burden of soul fatigue, Jesus extended the invitation to start over.
And he did. . .what an amazing story! So much hope, comfort, and peace in the example of Peter for us today! So, my friend, if you are feeling soul fatigue, don't give up. This is a new day. . .a new start. Let Jesus fill your heart and soul today with His irrational grace!
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