How to Cope with Spiritual Exhaustion

Do you find yourself feeling tired and exhausted even after a good night of sleep? Or do you find that you have difficulty putting your mind to rest and unable to sleep overthinking about heavy workload, stress and family obligations? This could be more serious than just temporary exhaustion that comes from intense schedule or poor time management.

The chronic tiredness can be physical or spiritual. Physical tiredness involves symptoms of chronic fatigue that includes insomnia, poor memory and poor concentration. Chronic fatigue can result from a poor time management, multitasking to the max, not getting enough sleep, improper diet that contains allergic ingredients or have certain food intolerance that makes you sleepy, or any other undetected physical issue. Health issues like anemia, fibromyalgia, underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) or depression can also cause chronic fatigue. There are could be so many reasons for chronic fatigue, that therefore contrary to the popular belief, aging and busy lifestyle is are not always the main causes for chronic fatigue.

When our body is under constant stress or does not rest enoughrestless, it will become addicted to a compulsive feeling that more needs to be done. As a result, some will have found themselves unable to relax, to quite quiet their mind or to fall asleep. Many activities can contribute to that such as inability to unplug completely from work, checking emails late in the evening, and inability to spend time alone – all could be signs of chronic fatigue.

Sleep problems such as inability to sleep or sleep apnea are also the most common causes of chronic tiredness. When a person has problems breathing during the nighttime, it disrupts the sleeping cycle that body needs in order to rest. Depression can also contribute to the chronic fatigue that can result in changes of sleep patterns, eating habits and body motion.

If your chronic tiredness is a result of a poor lifestyle, time management or medical issue, search for a good treatment and alternative healing techniques. Examine your time schedule and think of the ways to change your lifestyle. It will help you to achieve a much greater level of vitality in terms of physical and emotional health. Lifestyle changes involves having maintaining a balanced diet, engaging in activities that are energizing such as exercising regularly (walking, hiking, swimming or running), getting enough sleep, practicing therapeutic massage or acupuncture. All these activities will help to contribute toward the physical well being.

Chronic tiredness can be not only physical, but spiritual as well. We are spiritual beings by God’s design and this is the reality of our existence. The desire to be happy and satisfied is a natural state of a spirit, but often the spirit is filled with emotional emptiness and tiredness and running low on spiritual energy.

You won’t overcome spiritual exhaustion by simply resting. Some think that if you take a break, tiredness will go away. It may work for a body, but it won’t work if you are tired of your life style. It won’t work because you need a different source of fuel to fill up your spiritual emptiness and energy resources.

You won’t overcome spiritual tiredness by trying to find satisfaction in material things or living a completely materialistic lifestyle. It may satisfy certain selfish motives or personal pride for a limited time. However, an addiction to the material things may lead to cynicism, despair, emotional numbness and a weariness of the spirit.

You won’t overcome spiritual tiredness by constantly trying to please or impress others by seeking their approval. Also, our own high expectations for ourselves to seek instant results will also make us tired. When we are constantly measuring things up to match our expectations instead of trusting in God’s will, it will lead to disappointment in ourselves and in God. It also leads to disconnection from your own identity and your true soul purpose.

Sometimes we are so burned-out that we have no desire to connect to our inner guidance and God. We may feel like always giving and not receiving in return. During the prayer, we become less attentive and alert. The Bible says we are supposed to experience joy in serving God and following Christ. So where is the joy?

People who serve God become the nourishment for other people’s souls until others learn how to feed on God. Some people can drain spiritual energy very quickly making those who are interacting with them to feel exhausted. It is very true when you work very close with people who rely on others, who love drama and feed on energy of others because emotions of others can be their main source of energy. Until they will learn how to take their nourishment from God and how to get their own spiritual fuel, they will make others feel tired.

When people listen to their own reasoning and don’t listen to the Divine guidance, it often leads to disappointment and misalignment with our true self. We can forget what our true calling is and what we are suppose to do. More and more we are trying to please others in order to meet their expectations or follow our own ego-based compulsions. It leads to a never-ending spiral of exhaustion. When we are centered in God we know what we have to do. Our work will be most productive when we have a close and growing relationship with God.

Having some quite time will bring spiritual rest to our body, mind and soul. When we are alone, we don’t measure ourselves against others or seek approval of others. Set aside some time each day to disconnect from all the ways you connect with others to recharge. Allow yourself to become fully aware of God with you in these moments, loving you and extending compassion to you. Tell God about your needs and concerns, and receive His spiritual guidance.

Are you doing what matches for your spiritual gifts and talents? Is it what you do is engaging with you on a spiritual level? Careful examination is a good thing to do of what God is calling you to do. Learn to receive spiritual guidance on how to fulfill your main soul purpose that will bring joy and spiritual renewal. Let God to give you motives according to His purpose rather than based on your own expectations or expectations of others.

Rather than distracting yourself in some way, try to stay in God's presence and talk to Him about your tiredness, acknowledging it as a child would with a parent who cares and can help. Rather than feeling alone and weighed down by the seeming impossibility of your situation, address it in your prayer. As you consider your level of tiredness, don't rush to try to solve or fix anything; instead, give yourself time and space to notice what is true about you.

There are many causes for physical and spiritual tiredness. While physical tiredness can be fixed with good rest or medical treatment, spiritual tiredness requires more work and research. Embrace your need for quite time to seek Divine guidance and understanding.

Learn to listen to God’s guidance and how to fulfill your life purpose. Get clear on what God is calling you to do. Let God heal you and update your inner motivations and priorities that are not aligned with your spirit. Continually look back to the foundation of your unconditional love and affection and remember where your source of power lies. “All my springs are in you” (Psalm 87:7).