Sometimes All You Need is a Nap and a Snack

I was about 90 miles along the Pennine Way descending Fountains Fell and approaching the familiar silhouette of Pen-Y-Ghent in the Yorkshire Dales. More than 24 hour into the Winter Spine Race 2024 and I hadn’t slept a wink. I was desperate for a micro sleep as my mind had begun to falter making progress slow and clumsy. Unfortunately, the frosty wind whistling along the hillside made it far too cold to risk stopping.

After descending I joined a short stretch of tarmac and as I lifted my eyes the clouds parted, leaking warm rays of sunlight onto my weary face. To my right a dry stone wall created an effective sun trap as well as providing adequate cover from the prevailing wind. This was my moment.

A Micro Nap under Pen-Y-Ghent

I was down for 2 minutes at the most. I estimate that I slept for about 10 seconds, just long enough for a Ctrl-Alt-Delete of the brain. I arose (surprised to see a photographer had appeared out of thin air), ate a quick bit of food, and continued my journey to ascend Pen-Y-Ghent.

Grace

Through this series of blogs we’ve invested much of our time thinking about how we can proactively equip ourselves as long-distance-disciples. I have emphasised the responsibility that we must take to train our minds, and attune our practices, toward nurturing Faith Endurance. You could be forgiven for thinking that longevity in faith is all about us, our efforts, our achievement, our success.

This could not be further from the truth. Underpinning all we have explored together is the abundant grace of God.

Grace is when we get what we don’t deserve.

Grace is when we are rewarded even when our efforts are sub-par.

Grace is when we are slow and weak, but it’s okay because God is fast and strong.

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Jesus - 2 Cor 12:9

I love the story of Elijah the original prophet and original ultra marathon runner. The account demonstrates the way in which God’s grace is mediated to us in very human terms. You can read the whole thing in 1 Kings 18 & 19, but I will summarise…

Elijah has been faithfully battling the prophets of Baal, and he’s done a great job with it! But now his life is under threat from Jezebel so Elijah flees, running over 100 miles to Beersheba to escape the threat of death. After continuing for another day into the wilderness,

He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. 1 Kings 19:4-5

Maybe you feel like Elijah today. You have been working hard, serving the Lord, doing a brilliant job. Faithfully fighting battles with him. That might be working hard to serve in church, care for your family or excel in your vocation. You might be resisting temptations, contending for the gospel, or facing persecution. You’re doing your best to serve the Lord in the places he has called you to be, but today you’re tired. You’ve reached the end of your rope. You don’t know if you can continue the race.

You can really relate to Elijah when he says “I’ve had enough Lord, take my life!”.

How does God respond to Elijah?

Does he tell his to stop being silly? No.

Does God tell him to pull himself together? No.

Does God tap his watch and say “we’re wasting time here”? No.

All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he travelled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 1 Kings 19:6-8

God didn’t reprimand Elijah for being tired. God sent him an angel who allowed him to sleep and provided him with food and water. He was given grace to stop and rest to recover his strength. Note that here God was primarily interested in caring for Elijah's physical needs.

Sometimes all we need is a nap and a snack.

Faith Endurance isn’t about beasting ourselves until we can’t go on. It’s all about moving at a sustainable pace and trusting in his infinite grace.

If you feel burned out. If you feel exhausted today. Your race isn’t over. Jesus invites you to lay down under the bush and sleep. He invites you to come to eat and drink, both spiritually and physically. He has all that you need to sustain you for the journey ahead if you would only have the grace for yourself to stop. Take a nap today. Sleep in tomorrow. Eat cake. Treat yourself to a nice lunch. Slow down in order to restore your energy for the next adventure.

If might feel like you're losing ground, you're not. God is perfectly capable of keeping the pace.

“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule." Mathew 5:3 The Message

The finish line! Thankfully it didn't take me 40 days.

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This post is part of a series of short blogs titled Faith Endurance, based on a sermon series preached at St Peter’s Morley in Spring 2024. If you enjoyed this, subscribe (above on the left) to get notifications each time a new blog is released.