The Lord is my shepherd, I will not be in need. He lets me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For the sake of His name.

Psalm 23:1-3

Dear God, I’ve just kind of felt like I’m slogging through mud lately. Low-grade depression? Maybe. I’ve been fortunate to not have experienced true depression often. I guess it just feels like there are so many little fires with which I have to deal in my life right now that maybe the cumulative effect is that they are getting to me a bit. And it’s not the kind of thing a vacation can help. I don’t think it’s burnout. I’ve been burned out before too. This is different. This is just fatigue. As I sit here and prepare to go to work, I have trouble summoning the enthusiasm the job requires.

But isn’t it interesting. Just saying that explicitly through typing these words to you helps to lift that feeling. There is so much power for Satan over our lives through our secrets. The secret struggle that we don’t want to admit out loud–not even to you. In my case, it’s just the fatigue. And at a macro level you have been so good to me. But on a micro one, I just see all of these little problems to solve. But this is where you stretch me and help me grow. This is where you train me to live beyond myself and live for you. And, according to David in this psalm (who obviously wrote it when he was feeling similarly to how I am feeling now), you will provide for what you need me to have when you need me to have it.

Father, help me to take my eyes off of everything and find the joy in serving you with each individual task ahead of me. Come alongside me and work with me. Love through me. Support the efforts you need me to take for your kingdom’s sake. Love through me. Grow me into the man you need me to be. Help men to take your presence and share it with those around me.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen