There comes a time in every life when the weight of it all feels like too much to bear. When you’ve prayed, but no answer seems to come. When you’ve tried to be strong, but your strength is gone. When the heart that once beat with hope now feels heavy with discouragement.
Friend, you’re not alone in that place. The Bible is filled with those found themselves overwhelmed, weary and ready to give up.
Elijah has been there. The mighty prophet who called down fire from Heaven once sat beneath a juniper tree and prayed, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life.”
(1 Kings 19:4). Imagine that! The same man who stood boldly before King Ahab now sat broken and afraid. He had seen victory on Mount Carmel, but after the fire faded, so did his courage. That’s how life often is: after great moments of triumph can come great moments of testing.
Moses has been there. He led Israel through the Red Sea, watched God rain manna from Heaven, and stood in the presence of the Almighty. Yet, in Numbers 11:14–15, we hear him cry, “I am not able to bear all this people alone... kill me, I pray thee.” Even Moses, the lawgiver and leader, grew weary under the weight of responsibility. Leadership can be lonely and even the strongest shoulders can grow tired.
David has been there. The giant-killer, the psalm-writer, the man after God’s own heart once said, “Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest.” (Psalm 55:6). The same man who faced Goliath with courage now longed to escape it all. Betrayed by friends, chased by enemies and misunderstood by many, David’s heart broke under the pressure. Sometimes, the one who looks the most put together on the outside is fighting the hardest battle on the inside.
Paul has been there. The great apostle who spread the Gospel across continents admitted, “We were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life.” (2 Corinthians 1:8). That’s the man who wrote half of the New Testament! He knew what it meant to be discouraged, defeated, and emotionally drained. Yet, through it all, Paul learned to lean on the grace of God that never fails.
And maybe today, you’re there too.
You’ve done your best to be faithful. You’ve carried burdens few know about. You’ve smiled in public but cried in private. You’ve tried to hold it together for everyone else while quietly falling apart inside. You love God—but you’re tired.
If that’s you, hear this truth: you are not forgotten. The same God who met Elijah under the juniper tree will meet you where you are. The same Lord who strengthened Moses in the wilderness will strengthen you. The same Shepherd who restored David’s soul will restore yours. The same Savior who sustained Paul through his trials will sustain you, too.
Sometimes we just need to stop and be still long enough to let God speak. When Elijah finally quieted his soul, God didn’t come in the wind, the earthquake or the fire— but in a still, small voice. That gentle whisper reminded Elijah that God was still there, still working and still in control.
Friend, maybe you don’t need another mountaintop today. Maybe what you need is a moment under the juniper tree—to rest, to listen and to let God remind you that He still has a plan for your life.
You may feel finished, but God is not finished with you. The journey isn’t over and the best chapters have yet to be written.
So if you’re tired, take heart. If you’re discouraged, look up. The same God who brought you this far will bring you through.
As Isaiah 40:31 reminds us:
“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.”
Hold on to that promise. When life feels like “it is enough,” God says, “My grace is sufficient.”
Jimmy Barrett is a resident of Blackshear and pastor of Southside Baptist Church in Waycross.
