WEARING MY FATIGUES

In deciding what to wear on a given day, my preference is “comfort clothes,” especially when I'm anticipating a work day at my computer in my writing studio. 

Although they are not the natty, patterned camouflaged design like military personnel wear, I still call them my “fatigues.” Mine are grungy sweat pants or cut off jeans and unmatched, having-seen-better-days sweat shirts that I should have discarded into the rag bag long ago. Nevertheless, they are my favorite wardrobe.

The army fatigues are really quite dapper, with a variable camouflage pattern or monochrome shades of green or brown meant to conceal them from the enemy during battle. They approximate the terrain in which they are fighting—sandy desert, tropical jungles, or treacherous mountain warfare. When I wear my leisure clothes, I also attempt to hide myself and blend into the background. 

My fatigues are my camo clothes too in the sense that I'm retreating to my own comfort zone. I'm not preparing for battle—so I haven't put on my battledress. Recall what happened to King David in the Old Testament story who left himself vulnerable by not wearing his battledress. He sent his soldiers out to war but didn't go with them to lead them as was his custom. He hung back and took it easy—and got into a heap of trouble with a view presented to him while taking a walk on his balcony. One thing led to another and the rest is unfortunate history. The negative reverberations in his family and the kingdom lasted for his lifetime. But I digress....

Battledress for soldiers varied through the centuries. In the Middle Ages when knights went into battle they were saddled with suits of heavy armor. In this age of high tech warfare, soldiers still do carry a lot of heavy communications gear, survival stuff and ammo but their basic apparel is lighter and usually made of cotton fiber. 

Fatigues have become battledress now, much more serviceable than the more formal dress uniforms worn for parades or other military functions. 

Imagine how unsuitable were the full dress uniforms the British soldiers wore when they tried to quell the revolutionary conflict with the New Colonies. Fatigues are worn both when soldiers are working at some assigned duty and when engaging in battle. 

I want to focus on the concept of fatigue with an analogy to practicing our faith. Faith Fatigue is not Failed Faith, however. We may still hold solidly to our Christian beliefs. However, lukewarm faith, which God dislikes, may gradually set in when the journey of life gets long and perhaps after we have been Christians a good while. The first flush of our initial fresh faith has become dulled. Our high emotional spiritual experience may have slowly receded and we find ourselves flagging in our eagerness for spiritual matters. 

In His message to the Church at Ephesus Jesus called Faith Fatigue “losing our first love” for Him. (Revelation 2:4). In the verses preceding, Jesus commended their perseverance and endurance, “...and you have not grown weary.” That is His expectation for each of us, and He gives us the Holy Spirit to enable us to live it out as our normal Christian life. 

When our faith is fatigued and drooping, it may or may not be immediately evident to others because we are good at camouflaging ourselves. We blend in with a neutral background and no longer take a stand on issues that previously we defended with zeal. We drag our feet with Faith Fatigue. There are many facets to this kind of spiritual weariness including discouragement, loss, and the fluctuation of human emotions.

Being weary and being tired are not the same. Tiredness is generally thought of in a physical, bodily sense, as being exhausted by exertion or hard work. A hot shower, massaging our strained muscles and a good night's sleep often take care of our tiredness. On the other hand, to be weary is to be drained of one's energy and vitality through some kind of long, sustained effort, as in repetitive sameness. The feeling of weariness seems to go right down into our bones. It suggests a more permanent condition, mental and spiritual debilitation. Being weary is somewhat closer to the root meaning of fatigue. 

The Bible has much to say about the weariness of Faith Fatigue. In fact, the word weary is mentioned 41 times. Key verses are Isaiah 40:28-31. “God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth doesn't faint neither is weary...even the youths shall faint and be weary...but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, walk and not faint.”

We should watch our own walk with great care and build ourselves up in the faith so as not to succumb to Faith Fatigue no matter how long or rough or tedious our journey of life. Or how diligently we have been serving the Lord perhaps without being noticed, appreciated or applauded. “Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Gal. 6:9). 

It is military protocol that soldiers cover each others backs and never leave a fellow soldier behind on the battle field. So we should look after each other when we see that our buddy has become weary, is fainting or wounded in the battle of life.

“Am I my brother's [or sister's] keeper?” Yes, of course! “The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary” (Isaiah 50:4) How many weary and Faith Fatigued people may need my word spoken to them with a loving embrace, and a helping hand? I need to press on and be about my "Father's business."

What we wear on our temporary physical bodies isn't of eternal consequence; it is simply a matter of selecting the proper wardrobe for the occasion. We all need times of leisure and loosening the taunt strings from the sustained speed of daily life these days. We should select suitable clothing for such times. Even during leisure and rest and refreshment, however, we need to be battle ready and ever vigilant because the enemy of our souls is plotting at all times to ambush us. I must be prepared for spiritual warfare in my writing studio in my civilian fatigues as well. We need to keep on keeping on, to persevere through our periods of Faith Fatigue, to stay the course, to press on and obtain the crown of eternal life.

DESIGNER CLOTHES

What shall I wear today, Lord?

I have a closet full of clothes,

but I don't know what I'll face.

What appointments lie ahead?

Shall I wear blue denim or lace?

I just can't decide.

Lord, will You choose

my proper outfit?

I'm sure You will provide

whatever is in vogue and classy.

It will be fine with me.

I know I'll be a hit.

Well, thanks...I guess.

What You chose does match:

military helmet and boots

all in camouflage design,

coordinating accessories,

a belt of truth.

But a sword to use?

I can't really say

that I expected armor!

Something lighter perhaps,

chic and trendy,

even chosen in haste

would seem to have been

more to my taste.

But You know best

what or whom I'll meet

in the marketplace

and on the street

for which I'll need a shield,

breastplate and sword,

out on the field

of my day.

I feel secure now.

Come what may

I'll wear Your battle gear

more proudly than mink or sable

because this ensemble carries

Your designer label!

(Ephesians 6:10-18)