What does the Bible say about fatigue?

So many of God's people become weary in well-doing because they find themselves overburdened with the cares and anxieties of this present life. In the home, the office and the workshop, in private and in public life, there is an incessant drain upon the vital energies of mind and body. Every nerve cries aloud for relief, for rest.

What a remedy the same passage, in Isaiah 40, supplies. “The young men,” we read, “shall utterly faint and fail” (for the greatest human vigour is unequal to the strain), “but they that wait on the Lord shall renew (change) their strength, they shall mount up on wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

1916 27 It is well when Christians in conscious weakness (for indeed, we are as water spilt upon the ground which cannot be gathered up again) "wait upon the Lord," for "in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength;" and we are told "he that waiteth upon his Master shall be honoured." At the time Isaiah spoke, all was weakness and confusion in Israel; but although their condition was so sad in the Lord's sight, yet in the riches of God's grace the prophet was given to utter by the Holy Spirit these memorable and reassuring words, "Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, Jehovah, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength." Thus He recalled them to the inexhaustible source of strength to be found alone in Himself. Their youths and young men, in whom strength and vitality would naturally be looked for, had utterly failed, and everything was in a state of complete prostration. Then came the blessed and definite promise (surely not less for us than for Israel) "they that wait upon Jehovah shall renew, or change their strength. They shall mount up as with the wings of eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." Faintness and weariness are thus overcome, and power given to run in His service, and strength imparted to walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, to all those who wait upon the Lord.

How encouraging for the weary, how cheering for the weak, how heartening for the heavily burdened, for those who faint by the way, to know that they may renew their spiritual energy and strength. Many a man whose health and physical strength are gone would give much to be sure of such a renewal. It is of great importance for the children of God to understand God’s way of renewal for themselves.

God is our present portion and resource; and hear what our chapter has to say of Him. "Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, THE LORD, THE CREATOR OF THE ENDS OF THE EARTH, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of His understanding" (v. 28). What a contrast is revealed to us here between the greatness of God and man who at his best is only as the flower of the grass. And the word of the gospel invites us who hear to cease from man, to withdraw our hopes and confidence from him, and to put our trust without fear or misgiving in this great and wonderful God who is from everlasting to everlasting, and who is not only unchanging in His years and almighty in His power but is also infinite in His pity. So we read of Him, "He gives power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increaseth strength."

"Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall." "But they that wait on the Lord shall renew [or change] their strength they shall mount up with wings as eagles [rise triumphant over every difficulty and depression], they shall run and not be weary [be untiring in their errands of ministry and mercy for the Lord to others]; and they shall walk and not faint," tread steadily and with endurance the upward way to "the hope that is laid up for them in heaven, whereof ye have heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel."

Isaiah 40:28-31 beautifully expresses the same truth: "Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fail." This is the end of man's best strength, but "the everlasting God, the Lord … faints not, neither is weary." Our confidence is in Him, and more: "He gives power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increases strength." He communicates His strength to the feeble; it is made perfect in weakness. Then he adds: "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Such was the case with Caleb. He walked in the consciousness that his strength was in and with God. May it be the same with us; and not only so, but may we live in the enjoyment of heavenly things, take part in the scene of conflict, and run patiently and with unwearied feet the race which leads to the glory.

Let not one of those whom God calls “My people” say “My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God” (v. 27). The everlasting God does not change, He cares for all His own and faints not. Even the very hairs of their heads. Even the very hairs of their heads are all numbered by Him. No detail of their lives is too small for His notice. He bears with their waywardness and frailty and wearies not. If you feel your weakness and are brought to your wits’ end it is that you might prove what His power is. “He gives power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increases strength.” Every resource that man has apart from God will fail. “Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall.” “But they that wait on their Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint”. They shall rise on the strong wings of faith above the gloom of this world with its false hopes and sure disappointments and glory in the love of God which has given them a hope of which they shall never be ashamed (Rom. 5:5), they shall run the errands of the Lord, carrying messages of comfort to tried and troubled hearts, and not be weary (1 Thess. 1:8), and they shall walk worthy of God who has called them unto His Kingdom and glory, and not faint (1 Thess. 2:12).

What three little words could be more blessedly descriptive of the Christian, than these? - not, 'faint and sitting down,' not, 'faint and giving-up,' - but 'faint, yet pursuing.' We have to do with Him who "giveth power to the faint," Isa. 40:29. "To them that have no might he increaseth strength." It is a blessed use to make of our faintness and weariness, that of drawing out of the fulness of the supply of grace and strength in Christ. It is said, "Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might"; but to whom? To the one who has no strength in himself, who would give up his course if strength were not supplied to him. One victory achieved, the conflict goes on afresh. Do we find ourselves fainting in spirit? Still let us go on, for our God giveth strength to the weak. We like not this trial of faith. It is very painful doubtless to feel day after day our own weakness. We want to feel that the battle is over; but let us remember that now is our time of war. We are called on to fight "as good soldiers of Jesus Christ," and that in a daily round of conflicts. Today there has been sufficient grace and sufficient evil, and to-morrow there will be sufficient grace and sufficient evil. What we need is to live day by day on God. He is faithful, and will supply strength according to the occasion and need. The church will not be at rest till the Lord comes. But weakness ought to be no hindrance to our going forward - "faint, yet pursuing." It is a sad thing to be a spiritual sluggard, for a saint, like a door on its hinges, never to get off himself. The moment a person has learnt to renounce himself, he goes forward. Were felt weakness a reason for standing still, who so weak as Gideon?

Moreover not only is there infinite power and wisdom with God, but in grace He can give power to His needy people, for “He giveth power to the faint: and to them that have no might He increases strength.” If, however, He gives strength, we on our side have to learn our need of strength, and that mere natural strength cannot sustain the people of God in the trials they have to meet. Thus we read that the “youths” and the “young men” – those who set forth nature in its freshness and strength – will faint and grow weary and “stumble and fall”. It is often a hard lesson to learn that the strength of nature cannot keep us in the path of faith.

Further, we learn that if God is the giver of strength, and we need strength, it is those who “wait upon the LORD” that are the receivers of strength. Finally we learn the blessed result of being strengthened by the LORD. Such will “mount up with wings as eagles.” they will rise above the sorrows of earth to see the glory that is coming. Moreover, they will “run and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

We are told that they who wait upon the Lord, shall renew their strength. How often we have experienced this. Moments of depression come, weakness asserts itself, circumstances seem too difficult for us to grapple with. In our feebleness we wait on the Lord, we bring our depression and feebleness into His presence, and they pass away, they cannot remain in such an atmosphere. We rise up from our knees, our strength is renewed, not perhaps physically, but spiritually, though even a cheerful mind is good medicine for a sick body.