Recently I've been feeling very exhausted.  It comes from a combination of things and is something to be expected when in weeks 6-9 of a 9 and a half week tour.  But I'm also finding that this exhaustion extends beyond anything physical.  I don't remember the last time I was this exhausted mentally and emotionally.  A while back I had the opportunity to speak for a rescue mission in Pennsylvania.  On this night, I shared about how this exhaustion had taken its toll on me and through that sharing began to think about how I could even carry on through the rest of this tour.  I had resolved where I would seek to find my fulfillment (from the fact that I'm doing a work God has placed me in), but still I was left exhausted wondering how I could expect to carry on.  

For the last three weeks I've been working my way through John Piper's 50 Reasons Why Jesus Came To Die.  One of these reasons Piper gives is "to obtain for us all things that are good for us", citing Romans 8:32 which says, "He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?"  Piper reasons that this statement means that God will grant us all things that are good for us, that form us into the image of His Son, and that allow us to attain a true, everlasting joy.  Then he looks at another promise in Philippians 4:19--that our God will supply every need of ours.  What grabbed my attention pertaining to this promise was what Piper points out from the verses preceding v. 19, particularly verses 12-13:

Notice that hunger and need are a part of the "all things" we are able to do.  Taking it one step further, hungering and needing are also part of the things that we need to attain everlasting joy in that while hungering and needing, God may not provide what's needed to ease these felt needs.  Rather, God will meet the real need and provide the ability to rejoice in suffering when these felt needs aren't met.   It's not just about enduring, rather it's all part of being formed into the image of God's Son.  This is something I'm trying my hardest to hold onto.  It certainly isn't easy, but above all else I know this--God is faithful and keeps His word.  And because of that I have all I need and can rejoice.