Life has a way of wearing us down. At least that’s the way it is for me. Joys and challenges are part of each day. My response to each challenging situation I face and every demanding thought that hits me can really wear on me. Some days, I feel as if I’ve been fighting a battle. And I have, even though it hasn’t been one with ballistic weapons.

I like to build up defensive walls in an attempt to protect myself from the damage many situations can inflict on my soul. We all do that, in various ways. But when I build walls like that, I keep others out. And most importantly, I keep God out.

Romans 12 is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. The writer says, “Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.” Transformation can hurt. Some days, I just want to sit in an easy chair and not be transformed. But even that passive relaxing posture can keep God out. I must get up and grab life by the horns, even some of the times when I’m really tired.

But God has grace for us. He designed the week to include a day of rest. He designed each day to include sleep. He knows we need to sit in that easy chair sometimes, on a regular basis. So don’t feel guilty for taking a breather. Or a nap.

The writer of Romans ends the chapter with the fight analogy again: “Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.” What an awesome way to fight how life wears us down – build others up! That also keeps our minds off how tired we are of fighting. And the person we build up will probably return the favor.

(Paul Merrill writes here every First Friday.)