Frayed, Frazzled, and Fatigued - How to Find Your Place of Peace

I recently was in a conversation with a lady who was having problems with her nerves. She had gone through back-to-back surgeries. As a result, she had been out of work for a considerable amount of time. Financial pressures were pushing in on her. The demands of her family required an energy level she had not regained. The loss of mobility and strength also pulled at her emotions trying to bury her in depression. Day after day being isolated from the world she had previously so freely navigated made her feel worthless and helpless. What do you say to someone in such a situation? A simple “I’m praying for you!” while sincere and certainly helpful doesn’t seem adequate. I began thinking about what I do when I feel life piling up faster than I can handle it. I imagine that all of us at one time or another feel like someone is stepping on our last nerve. What about you reader? Do you ever struggle with feeling frayed, frazzled, and fatigued? What do you do in those times?

I don’t have a formula to share with you, but I do have something to share with you that always helps me. Consider this a little testimony for the tired... a pep talk for the pooped! This is also what I shared with the dear lady I mentioned previously.

Turn on the Worship Music
We’ve all heard that music is the universal language. Music is an extremely powerful medium of communication. In the Bible, the prophets were stirred to prophesy when the musicians played. Music touches the soul. When we choose to listen to music that has been dedicated to the Lord and is sung under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, it has a powerful effect on the inner man. It creates an atmosphere for us to communicate with the Lord. In the New Testament, Paul teaches us that singing enables us to continue to be filled with the Holy Spirit. When you are feeling down and under a load---soak your soul in worship music. Each day when I draw aside to spend time with the Lord, I find that worship music helps me to engage the presence of the Lord. Doesn’t Scripture teach us to enter come before His presence with singing? There are certain songs and certain CD’s that I have listened to hundreds and hundreds of time because they help me to focus on Jesus and release the cares of the world. Even ancient King Saul who was tormented by an evil spirit realized that anointed music would drive it away. It still works! If you are stressed out and ready to become unglued, turn on some anointed worship music and create an atmosphere around you that is honoring to God.

Get Alone With God
The music is a great help, but remember the purpose of the music is to draw you toward the Lord. Get alone with God. Turn off the television, the computer, the telephone, the pager, the ……….Get rid of the distractions! If you have to wait till everyone else is asleep at night then stay up and get alone with God. Think of it this way. Someone who loves you more than anyone else, someone who has more ability to help you than anyone else, and has more desire to help you than anyone else is just waiting for you to get alone with them. Why? So they can love on you and help you. Our flesh wants us to run from the very One Whom we most need. Have you ever noticed how the distractions often increase when you plan to draw aside with the Lord? You ever wonder why? The answer is obvious. Our own carnal nature, the whole system of the world, and the enemy himself all know that the more the Lord has you to Himself the more they lose their hold on you. Either way, someone is going to have a hold on you. Why not allow it to be the Lord? When we get alone with God the potential for something very life-changing and wonderful is present. He’s got the whole world in His hands, so He can certainly take care of your emotional thunderstorms.

Share Everything with Him that is Bothering You
I have had people tell me that God has too much to deal with without concerning Himself with their personal problems. This thinking is way undersized for the God whom I serve. He is able to process everything that is going on in every person’s life on planet Earth-- all at the same time without breaking a sweat. Dear reader, He loves you extravagantly and personally. He had His hand on you when you were in your mother’s womb. You are here because of His desire. He gave you life. Of course, He cares about you and yearns for you to share your heart with Him. A marriage relationship suffers when one spouse refuses to share their heart and their hurts with their partner. Our spiritual lives suffer when we shut our heart away from God. Sometimes we become deceived and think God is against us and uninterested in helping us. Remember the cross! Think about what He did there for you. You were on His mind and love for you filled His heart as it bled dry to redeem you for Himself. Just sit before, kneel before, stand before, or lie down before the Lord and tell Him what is bothering you. He already knows anyway. But the faith you express in the act of becoming emotionally naked before Him will draw you closer to Him. You will begin to experience intimacy with Him. Sharing your hurts, broken dreams, or bad day with Jesus doesn’t drive Him away; it draws Him near. The Bible says He is near to those of a broken heart. Ask Him to fill your heart with His peace. Repent of the wrong ways you have been handling things. Express your desire for Him to help you (Phil.4: 6-7).

Begin to Praise Him
You will begin to experience gratitude arising in your heart toward Him as He draws near. Begin to praise Him for all He is to you. Praise Him for being with you. Praise Him for desiring to help you. You should have no trouble thinking of things to praise and thank Him for. As you do, you will begin to experience a lightening of your load. You will begin to sense that there is hope. Out of the essence of Who He is you will begin to receive what you need. This is how it always works. At the cross, Jesus gave His heart for you and He continues to desire to share His heart with us. Praise will lift you up out of your circumstances right into the arms of your majestic and mighty God.

Receive His Peace
As another act of faith, receive His peace. Wherever He is, Peace is available. This is why we can always have peace, even in the middle of the storm. Sometimes we possess the false notion that peace is about being in the right place, but in reality the place of peace is found at the feet of the Prince of Peace—Jesus! Where do you go to find peace? You go to Jesus. He has promised to be the peacegiver in your life. You may be right in the middle of a brewing disaster in the natural and have perfect peace in your soul. Peace is not the absence of conflict; it is the presence of Christ ruling and reigning in your heart. These draw-away times when we soak in His presence are dethroning and enthroning times. We dethrone the wrong things that have crept into our hearts and consciously enthrone Jesus to His rightful place in our lives. There will always be usurpers challenging you concerning who is going to be king in your heart. Take your place at the feet of Jesus and decide that you are going to give Him an unhindered heart in which to rule and reign. He has promised to make His peace available to you. Receive it! When you do this, then the place you are becomes your place of peace. Everyone around you may be experiencing emotional meltdown, but you can stand in peace and watch God calm your storms. Peace with you! 

CG