Jimbo's Jots

We’re starting another series – When You’re Not Broken, Just Not at Ease. This series is based on one paragraph from Dr. Peter Levine’s book, Waking the Tiger. I’ve been sitting in this space for a couple of weeks.

Dr Levine writes: “Trauma evokes a biological response that needs to remain fluid and adaptive, not stuck and maladaptive. A maladaptive response is not necessarily a disease, but a dis-ease — a discomfort that can range from mild uneasiness to downright debilitation.”

That phrase — “not a disease, but a dis-ease” — names something many people quietly carry. Sometimes we are not falling apart in obvious ways. We are simply living not at ease. We feel tense, tired, overwhelmed, numb, anxious, or just “off.” We may still be functioning, still showing up, still doing what needs to be done — but inwardly, something feels unsettled. And when that happens, many of us ask: What is wrong with me?

But perhaps a gentler question is: What has happened to me? or even: What have I been carrying for too long?

Naming the Weariness

Not all pain shows up dramatically. Sometimes it settles quietly into the body and soul. Stress, grief, disappointment, fear, and old wounds can linger longer than we realize.

The psalmist asks in Psalm 42:5: “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?”

That is an honest and faithful question. Sometimes healing begins when we stop judging our inner unrest and start paying attention to it. What if your weariness is not weakness? What if your anxiety is not failure? What if your dis-ease is simply a sign that your soul needs care?

Jesus Welcomes the Weary

Jesus says in Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Jesus does not say, “Come to me once you’ve figured yourself out.” He says, come weary.

That means the tired version of you is welcome. The anxious version of you is welcome. The burdened version of you is welcome. God is not distant from your distress. He is near to the brokenhearted and present in the places within you that feel unsettled. So this week, instead of asking, “What is wrong with me?”, perhaps ask:

Where am I not at ease?
What have I been carrying?
What might my soul need from God right now?

Sometimes grace begins by simply being honest.

Let me share a prayer with you:

Lord,
You know the places in me that feel tired, unsettled, and burdened.
You know the things I have carried quietly and the ways my soul has grown weary.
Help me to be honest about what I am feeling.
Teach me to bring my whole self to You without fear or shame.
Meet me with Your gentleness, Your rest, and Your peace.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

Be blessed!! Be a blessing!!