Faith | Are you tired, burned out? Keep your hand on the ‘pump handle’

For the past three months, my wife and I have traveled around the Pacific Northwest looking for a piece of property that will serve our needs.

Given the soaring fuel costs and surprisingly expensive real estate options, it has been an eye-opening education. And when your eyes are open, you can’t help noticing things.

Whether we pass through the Bitterroot Valley in Montana, the wheat fields of the Palouse, the forested mountains of Idaho, or the coastal range of Washington, we see the same stressful trends.

People are tired, weary and exhausted from the signs of the times.

“Help Wanted,” “Now Hiring,” and even “Closed” signs are everywhere, revealing the weariness of employers, employees, and customers trying to understand why things can’t go back to the way things used to be.

But the sign we see more than any other is on people’s faces. It is a sign of weariness and burnout—which inevitably leads to emptiness, edging toward despair. As an old friend of mine once said, “I’m tired of living and afraid of dying.”

Weariness is nothing new, of course. But the weight you may be feeling these days may go beyond what you have experienced before.

Even so, there is hope. And there is an answer.

As my wife and I look back on our lives, we have to say that the American way has been good to us. We have had plenty and to spare. And that’s okay, I suppose, but that’s not all there is to life. There is way more than that. There’s real life that Jesus offers us.

Some years back, I read a tale about a man walking across a hay field near a farmhouse. Large, ancient oaks shaded the home, and as the man stepped closer, he saw what looked like a man pumping feverishly at the hand pump.

Curious, the traveler stopped and watched as the fellow continued to pump furiously at a tremendous rate. He seemed absolutely tireless, pumping on and on, never slowing down or stopping. Truly it was a remarkable sight, so the man moved closer to get a better look.

As he got closer, he could see that it wasn’t a real man at all at the pump, but a wooden cutout figure painted to look like a man. The arm pumping rapidly was hinged at the elbow, and the hand was wired to the pump handle. The water came gushing out, but not because the figure was pumping it.

You see, it was an artesian well.

The water was pumping the man.

Perhaps with all of our advancements and material success, this is one essential thing we’ve gotten backward—falsely believing that it is our expertise and strength that produces real, meaningful life.

When I trace Jesus’ ministry in the New Testament, I see how he focuses on people who are just plain tired. Does that describe you? Then, please take a big breath and listen to what Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30:

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (The Message)

In essence, Jesus tells us that all we must do is keep our hand on the pump handle. Or even better, keep your hand in his hand, and you will never walk alone.

This story was originally published September 25, 2022 at 6:00 AM.