How to Keep Going When You Are Tired 😓

Hebrews 10:19–25

Some kinds of tiredness cannot be fixed with a good night’s sleep. 💤

Sometimes you get tired of carrying the same burden, fighting the same battle, and praying the same prayer. You still believe in God, but your grip does not feel as strong as it once did. You are still moving forward, but somewhere inside, you are wondering, How much longer can I keep doing this?

The trouble is that when we become spiritually tired, we often pull away from the very things God has given us to help us keep going. We pray less. We loosen our grip on what we believe. We withdraw from the people who care about us.

Hebrews 10 speaks directly to that kind of weariness.

The believers who first received this letter had suffered because of their faith. The pressure was wearing them down, and some were in danger of turning back. After reminding them of everything Jesus had done, the writer gave them three simple instructions:

“Let us draw near.… Let us hold fast.… And let us consider one another.”
Hebrews 10:22–24

When we are tired, we keep going by drawing near to God, holding fast to His truth, and staying close to His people. 💪

1. Draw Near to God 🙏

The writer begins by reminding us why we can approach God:

“Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.”
Hebrews 10:19

Under the old covenant, ordinary people could not enter the Most Holy Place. Even the high priest entered only once a year, and he never entered without sacrificial blood. A veil stood between the people and the place that represented God’s presence.

But Jesus changed everything. Through His own blood, He opened “a new and living way” into the presence of God. ✝️

We now have “boldness” to come to Him. That does not mean we approach God casually or arrogantly. Our confidence is not in how good we have been. It is in what Jesus has done for us.

Because Jesus opened the way, the writer says, “Let us draw near.”

Weariness often makes us do the opposite. When we feel exhausted, disappointed, or ashamed, we may stop praying because we do not know what to say. We may think we should wait until our faith feels stronger or our lives are in better shape.

But God does not tell tired people to stay away until they feel better. He invites us to come closer. 🤲

We can come “with a true heart.” In other words, we can be honest. We do not have to pretend that we are stronger than we are. We can tell God where we hurt, what has disappointed us, and why we feel like giving up. 💔

Think about a frightened child running to a loving parent. The child does not come because the problem has been solved. The child comes because he knows where safety can be found. 🫂

When you are tired, you do not have to fight your way back into God’s presence. Jesus has already opened the way.

When you have run out of strength, draw near to the One who has not.

2. Hold Fast to Your Confession ⚓

The writer continues:

“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)”
Hebrews 10:23

To “hold fast” means to keep a firm grip and refuse to let go. Our “profession” is what we have confessed to be true about Jesus.

The original readers of Hebrews were under real pressure. Some had been publicly humiliated. Some had suffered. Some had lost possessions because of their faith. Following Jesus had become costly.

Weariness can make us question what we once believed with confidence. When a prayer remains unanswered or suffering continues longer than we expected, the truth may not feel as certain as it once did.

But pain can change how truth feels without changing what is true.

Jesus is still Lord.
His blood still saves.
His promises still stand. 🙌

Faithfulness does not mean we never struggle with doubt or discouragement. It means we do not allow those struggles to pull us away from Christ.

Imagine walking down a staircase when the lights suddenly go out. You reach for the handrail because you need something steady. Your hand may be shaking, but the rail has not moved. 🔦

That is what God’s promise is like. Our feelings change. Our strength rises and falls. But God remains faithful.

The writer does not tell us to hold fast because we are strong. He tells us to hold fast because “he is faithful that promised.”

Our grip may tremble, but His promise never does.

What truth about God have your present circumstances caused you to question? Find a promise from Scripture that speaks to your struggle. Write it down, read it often, and remind yourself that God’s faithfulness has not changed simply because life has become difficult. 📖

3. Stay Close to God’s People 🤝

God never intended us to hold fast alone.

“And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.”
Hebrews 10:24

To “consider” someone means to pay careful attention to that person. We are called to notice when others are hurting, growing tired, or beginning to drift. 👀

That takes more than sitting in the same room on Sunday. We need to know one another well enough to recognize when someone is struggling, and care enough to do something about it. ❤️

We are also told to “provoke unto love and to good works.” That means we should stir one another toward faithful living. Our words and example should make it easier for other people to love, serve, and obey Christ.

The writer then warns us not to forsake “the assembling of ourselves together.” Some believers had begun pulling away from the church, perhaps because gathering had become difficult or dangerous.

We may do something similar when we are tired. We tell ourselves that we need space, so we stop showing up and quit talking honestly. But isolation usually makes our weariness worse.

When we pull away from God’s people, we lose some of the voices God wants to use to strengthen us. 🗣️

Think about a team of cyclists. 🚴 When they ride together, they take turns facing the wind. The rider in front bears the greatest resistance while the others ride behind. After a while, someone else moves forward and takes a turn carrying the heavier load.

No believer can face every headwind alone. Sometimes we need others to help carry us. At other times, God calls us to move forward and help carry them. 🌬️

That is why the writer tells us to encourage one another “so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” As the return of Christ gets closer, we need one another more, not less. ⏳

When you are tired, do not disappear. Stay close to people who will strengthen your faith, and stay close enough to strengthen theirs.

Take Your Next Faithful Step 👣

When weariness tells us to pull away, Hebrews calls us in the opposite direction:

• Draw near to God. 🙏
• Hold fast to His truth. ⚓
• Stay close to His people. 🤝

Our hope is not in the strength of our hands. Our hope is in the strength of the One to whom we are holding. Jesus has opened the way into God’s presence. God’s promises are still trustworthy. His people are here to help us keep going. 🌅

If you know Christ but have begun pulling away, come close again. Bring God your weakness. Tighten your grip on His promises. Reach out to another believer and let that person walk with you.

Maybe you have never trusted Jesus. Sin has separated you from God, and you cannot open the way back through religion, good works, or trying harder. But here is the good news: Jesus opened the way for you. ✝️

He shed His blood for your sins, rose from the dead, and offers forgiveness and eternal life to everyone who will turn from sin and trust Him. 🌿

You can receive Him today. Stop trusting in what you can do, and place your faith in what Jesus has already done.

You do not have to carry life alone. The way to God is open, and His name is Jesus. 🙏❤️

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