Fatigue...At Christmas?

Fatigue...At Christmas?

As we head into the Christmas season and prepare to ring in another new year, we’re often told it’s “the most wonderful time of the year.” A time to pause… to reflect… to see friends and family… to enjoy those we love while celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior. It is a time of wonder.  We’ll reveal some of the wonder in our next post.

But—for many of us—this season arrives under a heavy blanket.

We feel tired.
We’ve poured out all year.
December demands more time, more events, more decisions, more everything.
And suddenly we’re ready for bed at 2 p.m.

Fatigue is a real thing.
Let’s look quickly at what it is, why we feel it, and what God’s Word says about it.

What Is Fatigue?

Fatigue isn’t simply “feeling tired.” It’s a psychobiological state where both the body and brain shift after long periods of stress or sustained effort. It affects:

• Perception — how hard something feels

• Motivation — willingness to continue

• Cognitive performance

• Physical performance

Mental and physical fatigue blend into each other more than we realize.

Mental Fatigue

Mental fatigue builds after long, demanding cognitive activity—like trying to close out end-of-year business tasks while hustling from one client or vendor Christmas event to the next.

Research shows:

• After extended cognitive effort, we often stop physical effort sooner—not because our bodies can’t continue, but because the effort feels harder.

• This increase in perceived effort causes performance to drop even when our heart rate, oxygen use, or muscle capacity haven’t changed.

In plain language: mental fatigue makes life feel heavier than it really is.
(And getting dark at 5:30 p.m. doesn’t help either. Thanks daylight savings)

Physical Fatigue

Physical fatigue is both peripheral and central:

• Peripheral: muscles run out of fuel. We sleep less when we’re busy, eat worse when we’re rushed, and overload our schedule until the tank is empty.

• Central: the brain actually reduces its drive to the muscles—its way of forcing us to stop.
  If you won’t rest on your own, your brain will make you rest.

What Does Jesus Say About Fatigue?

While Jesus doesn’t directly address future office Christmas parties thrown in His honor, He does offer timeless truth—truth we desperately need in 2025.

1. Jesus Invites the Weary to Rest

Matthew 11:28–30

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Jesus shows us that our work, time, and burdens were never meant to be carried alone.
Even good things can become too much.

He can carry the weight with you.
Talk with Him. He knows. He sees. And He cares.

2. Jesus Points Us to God’s Provision

Matthew 6:28–29

“Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow.
They do not labor or spin.
Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.”

This time of year we cram so much into so little time—wrapping up a month, a quarter, and a year all at once. We feel the pressure. It feels like our future depends on how well we manage December.

But Jesus says:
Look at the lilies. God provides.

Some of the most beautiful things in life require no performance at all.

Take a deep breath.
No productivity metric or year-end review can replace the peace only Christ provides.
He loves you.
He sees you.
You are enough in Him.

3. Jesus Is Strong When We Are Weak

2 Corinthians 12:9–10

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

We get tired trying to do it all on our own, under our own strength or ability to manage our chaotic schedule. This year – let’s turn more toward Christ.  We may not have the luxury of neglecting our work, but we can invite him into it with us. We can trust him with the outcomes, and do our best to finish strong because we finish the year walking with Him.

Fatigue is real. However – we don’t have to go it alone. Jesus made claims about this type of feeling.  He is the truth.  This year – let’s take him at his word.

-Mark