To combat fatigue

Will a cup of coffee do the trick? Or another few hours sleep? If you're tired, there's got to be a more substantial answer. Not long ago I came home from work feeling exhausted. I found lots of comfort in good old self-pity and puttered around the apartment complaining to myself about how tired I was.

Then the phone rang, It was a call from a good friend I love to talk with. After we had spoken for about fifteen minutes, I noticed I wasn't tired any more. In fact I was quite exuberant.

The whole thing was very amusing.I had become happy and more interested in my friend than in myself. And the fatigue had dissolved.

There are many things that exhaust us, the solutions to which have nothing to do with material remedies. Thinking we have a lot to do and little time to do it in can produce feelings of drudgery.We may not want to tackle something we know we have to do.Or we may feel we're growing old and losing a sense of purpose and productivity. Heavy thoughts exhaust one -- depression is a favorite partner to fatigue. So where do we get energy? Where is relief?

The remedy for fatigue does not actually lie in anything external -- not in relaxing with a glass of beer, or even trying to retreat into a good movie. Escapist tactics never bring answers.

We need to get at the root of the weed instead of lopping off the top. The great necessity is to turn to God and get mortal selfhood out of the way. Mary Baker Eddy n1 writes, "God rests in action."n2 That's a pretty powerful statement. Why is it that God rests while He is in action? Isn't harmony restful? Love peaceful? God knows only His own infinitely good creation working in perfect harmony. Nothing is piled up in the divine universe; everything is in perfect rhythm, since Principle, God, is perpetually maintaining order and perfection throughout His creation. God is not depressed; He is Soul, knowing only infinite and bountiful good. No wonder God never gets tired -- there is nothing to get tired about.

n1 Mrs. Eddy is the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science;

n2 Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,m p. 519.

We need to become conscious of what God is conscious of, and we will find our days less wearisome. The consciousness of God is natural for us, since in our true being we are spiritual and can express His nature. Because of this, we can express poise and dominion. God knows and creates only harmony. His supreme control is restful.

As we turn to God we can begin giving up a false sense of responsibility -- thinking that we're somehow the source of love or intelligence, that we must keep everything under control. In humility we can discern God's action, realizing that we reflect His powers. The deep comprehension of such a fact of being rests us more than those extra hours of sleep.

Reiterating the causes of fatigue, rehearsing hateful thoughts, and general muddling around in the misery of human existence will not rest us. Instead, let's open our lives to God and let His will be done -- glorify Him in consciousness first. As the Psalmist said, "Come before his presence with singing." n3

n3 Psalms 100:2.

DAILY BIBLE VERSE Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Psalms 16:10