"Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken... Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him." – Psalm 62:1-2,5 (ESV)
The demands that this life can ask of us can get burdensome for anyone. Relationships, work, purpose, finances, unforeseen circumstances and health issues all seem to bombard us even spiritually. As a result, our souls, minds and spirits can feel just as pressured as our own physical bodies.
The soul isn't rested the same way the body is. Sleep doesn't rest the soul or spirit. Rest for the soul comes only when we come to Christ and ask Him to remove the burdens that we carry. As Jesus invites us in Matthew 11:28-30, "Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
If you're reading this and feeling that you might be burning out spiritually but aren't completely sure, here are six signs to watch out for that could be telling you that your spirit needs rest.
1. Physical Fatigue
Physical and spiritual fatigue can be two different things, but when we're tired in our souls, we're mostly also tired in the physical as well. The body, soul and spirit are so intertwined that they actually affect each other.
2. A Lost Hunger for God's Word
Maybe you were once extremely hungry for God's Word and presence, but it's just not there anymore. You could be starving spiritually and losing your appetite. This is also another sign that your soul and spirit need rest.
3. Feelings of Being Far From God
Have you ever felt so distant from God? Well, we are assured that He is not, but many times this can also give us warning signals that it's time we proactively seek Jesus once more and find rest in Him.
4. No Desire to Serve Others
It's hard to serve others when we feel like God hasn't taken care of our own spiritual needs. Serving others always works best out of an overflow of a heart, mind and spirit fully rested and satisfied in Christ.
5. Entitlement
Spiritual depravation can sometimes cause the spiritually exhausted to seek nothing else but our own satisfaction. This can cause people to become entitled because of a lack of in-filling and rest in God's presence.
6. Feelings of Uncertainty
Hopelessness is not just the absence of hope, but also the absence of a good amount of rest for the soul. It's hard to find hope when we're tired. That's why it's very important to rest the soul if we want to continue trying to find hope in God.
