PDF Summary:Tired of Trying, by Ashley Morgan Jackson

Our lives are filled with challenges—both internal and external—that can shake our faith and self-perception. In Tired of Trying, Ashley Morgan Jackson guides readers on a spiritual journey to overcome these obstacles. She explains how hardships can reveal our reliance on false sources of validation and identity rather than divine love.

Through personal experiences and scriptural references, Jackson encourages readers to embrace their struggles. By confronting doubts, fears, and false beliefs, we can let go of self-reliance and deepen our connection with God. Ultimately, Jackson reminds us that our stories of transformation can inspire others to maintain their faith during difficult times.

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Inviting the sacred to confront and clear away the false beliefs we have regarding our own nature and our comprehension of the Divine.

In this part, the writer emphasizes the importance of openness to the difficult questions that may emerge from a divine source. Questions like "What is your name?" are intended to prompt personal contemplation and awareness, rather than to point fingers. We possess the opportunity to identify our vulnerability, misplaced confidence, and the cyclic patterns that work against our interests. God asks these questions not to expand His understanding, but rather to illuminate our own. Jackson motivates her audience to courageously pose the tough inquiries that concern the divine. Our uncertainties and irritations are within His capacity to manage. This candor dismantles barriers, fostering a path toward profound closeness and restoration.

Practical Tips

• Develop a 'belief map' art project where you visually represent your spiritual beliefs and their connections to your life. Use colors, symbols, and images to express how you see the divine and its relationship to the world. This creative exercise can help you externalize and examine your beliefs in a tangible way, making it easier to identify and address any misconceptions.
• Volunteer at a local interfaith dialogue group to engage with people of different beliefs. Actively listen and ask questions about their experiences and perspectives. This exposure to diverse viewpoints can broaden your understanding and acceptance of difficult questions within your own faith journey.
• Incorporate personal questions into your meditation or mindfulness routine by focusing on a different question each session. As you meditate, let the question guide your thoughts and observe what comes up without judgment. For instance, meditate on the question "What brings me joy?" and notice the feelings and memories that surface.
• Start a "confidence journal" where you document daily instances of misplaced confidence, such as overestimating your knowledge on a topic or underestimating the time required for a task. This practice will help you calibrate your self-assessment skills. For instance, if you consistently log that you thought a work task would take two hours but it actually took four, you can adjust your planning and decision-making processes accordingly.
• Volunteer as a mentor for young adults or children, using questions to guide them towards self-discovery rather than giving direct advice. In this role, focus on asking questions that encourage them to think critically and reflect on their choices, such as "What could be some consequences of this decision?" or "How do you think you can overcome this challenge?" This approach helps mentees develop problem-solving skills and self-awareness.
• Initiate a book club with friends or community members focused on reading and discussing texts that challenge traditional views of the divine. This social setting can provide diverse perspectives and support as you explore tough questions together. Choose books from various backgrounds and time periods to ensure a wide range of viewpoints and discussions.
• Volunteer for a community service project that requires you to work on a team to solve complex problems. This experience can illustrate the concept of collective uncertainties being managed by a higher power, as you witness the group overcoming challenges together, often in ways you couldn't have anticipated.
• Develop a personal "Candor Cue Card" with key phrases that encourage openness, such as "I value your honesty" or "Let's be open with each other." Keep this card in your wallet or on your phone and refer to it during conversations as a reminder to foster a candid environment.

Overcoming personal challenges can lead to a deep transformation that renews a person's belief in the Divine.

Jackson motivates her readers to embrace the challenges they face as chances to slowly rebuild their trust in the Divine. She underscores the importance of cherishing the gifts bestowed by the Divine rather than striving to gain His approval through deeds. The challenges we face are intended to guide us from a place of doubt and effort to one of intimacy and acceptance of God's steadfast love.

Accepting the divine blessings instead of striving to gain His affection and endorsement.

The author emphasizes how our exhaustion often stems from our attempts to earn divine love and approval through righteous actions and flawless behavior. Her therapist helped her understand the importance of accepting herself instead of perpetually focusing on her performance capabilities. She reached up to the sky, her gesture both symbolic and literal, inquiring, "God, what blessings have you prepared for me on this day?" The initial phase of rekindling faith involves recognizing ourselves as recipients of divine affection and grace, instead of attempting to earn it.

Revitalizing our spiritual beliefs through a shift in perspective and immersing our minds in the truths of scripture.

It is essential for the rejuvenation of our spiritual trust in the Divine to view the circumstances of our lives through a new lens. Jackson motivates people to identify and change the damaging stories they tell themselves, advocating for the replacement of these inaccuracies with verifiable truths. This entails altering our viewpoint to understand our challenges not as penalties but as chances for personal development, healing, and strengthening our bond with the divine. Our reimagining of life is rooted in the treasured memories of past acts of divine faithfulness and in our resolve to keep faith in the continuous, though invisible, divine presence in our present circumstances.

Practical Tips

• Create a 'perspective shift' journal where you write down a current belief and then challenge it by writing from an opposite viewpoint. This exercise encourages you to explore different angles and understandings of your spiritual beliefs, potentially leading to a revitalized perspective. For example, if you believe that spirituality must involve structured practices, write about the benefits of spontaneous, unstructured spiritual experiences.
• Start a "verse-a-day" journaling habit, where you write down one verse in the morning and reflect on how it applied to your day in the evening. This practice encourages you to look for practical applications of scriptural truths in your daily life, like noting patience in a traffic jam after journaling about long-suffering.
• Engage in role-play exercises with a trusted friend or family member to practice changing self-narratives. Take turns acting out scenarios where one person is stuck in a negative self-narrative, and the other helps guide them towards a more positive perspective. This could involve role-playing a situation where you're criticizing yourself for a mistake, and your partner helps you focus on what you learned from the experience instead.
• Use a browser extension that fact-checks information in real-time as you browse the internet. Extensions like these can alert you to potential falsehoods on websites and social media, encouraging you to question and research information before accepting it as true. This way, you're less likely to spread inaccuracies yourself.
• Create a "Growth Opportunities" board in your living space with two columns: "Challenges" and "Growth Opportunities." Whenever you encounter a challenge, write it down and opposite it, articulate how it can serve as a catalyst for personal development or spiritual connection. This visual representation can serve as a constant reminder to reframe your perspective on difficulties.
• Start a digital photo album dedicated to capturing moments that represent faithfulness in your life. This could include pictures of people, places, or events that remind you of support and guidance you've received. Regularly adding to this album and reviewing it can serve as a visual diary, reinforcing the memory of these moments.
• Use nature as a trigger for mindfulness by taking short, intentional walks where you focus on the idea that the divine is present in the natural world around you. Pay attention to the details in nature – the patterns on leaves, the movement of clouds, the sounds of birds – and reflect on the idea of a continuous divine presence.

Drawing on the resilience to persevere through hardships involves seeking strength from a higher power rather than depending solely on one's own abilities.

Jackson emphasizes the incremental process of transformation and the significance of having a strong support system, while also pointing out that perfect comprehension or constant resilience is not essential for persistence. We endure by showing up each day and choosing to do the next right thing, no matter how small. Each minor choice we make each day lays the foundation for a steadfast trust and dependence upon God.

Recognizing that transformation unfolds gradually, not in an abrupt transition.

Jackson emphasizes to readers that a sudden change should not be anticipated from engaging in a spiritual struggle. She narrates her experience of training for an endurance race, highlighting the importance of continuous, small steps of faith, particularly when confronted with a knee injury. Just as her faith in God was her support in each training session, we should also be prepared to advance gradually. She illustrates the similarities between her slow recuperation from physical ailments and the journey she underwent to achieve emotional restoration. God does not expect us to solve every enigma or display unceasing courage throughout our life's journey. We may rest assured that the strength required will be supplied for every portion of our journey.

Practical Tips

• Start a "Transformation Journal" to document your daily experiences and reflections. By writing down small changes and observations each day, you can track your gradual progress and understand the subtleties of your transformation. For example, if you're trying to become more patient, note moments when you felt impatient and what triggered them, as well as times you successfully managed to stay calm.
• Establish a routine of sharing your spiritual journey with a trusted friend or mentor every month. This regular check-in provides an opportunity to discuss your struggles and progress, offering a platform for accountability and encouragement. It also allows you to hear an outside perspective that can highlight changes you might not have noticed, reinforcing the idea that spiritual growth is a gradual process.
• Implement a "single-tasking" day once a week where you focus on one small, achievable goal without multitasking. This helps to build the habit of seeing tasks through to completion and reinforces the value of small, focused efforts. An example might be organizing a single drawer in your home, learning a new recipe, or writing a letter to a friend.
• Journal your reflections post-training to contemplate the intersection of physical and spiritual growth. After each session, take a few minutes to write down how your faith supported you through the challenges of the workout. This could be in the form of gratitude for the strength you found, insights gained, or moments where you felt a spiritual connection.
• Create a "Skill Ladder" for a new hobby or skill you're trying to learn. Break down the skill into the smallest possible steps and focus on mastering each step before moving on to the next. For example, if you're learning to play the guitar, your first rung might be to learn how to hold the guitar properly, the next to strum a single chord, and so on.
• You can track your emotional recovery like a physical one by keeping a journal. Just as you might record your physical exercise, diet, and sleep patterns to monitor your physical health, use a journal to note your emotional states, triggers, and coping mechanisms each day. This can help you identify patterns and progress in your emotional restoration journey.
• Start a "Courage Journal" where you document moments you feel brave as well as moments you feel fearful. Reflect on these entries to identify patterns and learn that it's normal to experience fluctuating levels of courage. This practice encourages self-compassion and the understanding that constant courage is not a realistic expectation.
• Start a "strength diary" where you write down daily instances when you felt you needed extra strength and how you managed to find it within yourself or through external support. This practice can help you become more aware of your personal growth and the support systems you have in place, which can be empowering and reassuring for future challenges.

Sharing our personal challenges can motivate and elevate those around us.

Jackson argues that the most significant advantage gained from our hardships is the chance to utilize the knowledge and insights we've gained, represented by the struggles we've endured, to assist and mentor others who are wrestling with their beliefs. Our journey through difficulties and change firmly reassures us of the unwavering presence of the Divine, providing solace to those who are uncertain in their beliefs or consider forsaking their principles.

Accepting life's difficulties as evidence of the Divine's steadfast essence.

The author underscores that Jacob's physical ailment, a result of his celestial meeting, perpetually reminded him of the profound transformation he underwent and the new persona he embraced. Our personal battles, whether they are of the body, mind, or spirit, demonstrate the profound change that heavenly involvement can effect in us, akin to how Jacob's physical alteration signified his celestial meeting and ensuing victory.

Our wounds and sensitivities can evolve into conduits of comfort for those in need.

Jackson motivates us to perceive our vulnerabilities as distinctive assets that enable us to provide solace and assistance to others. She became a source of inspiration and assistance for a woman mired in hopelessness by revealing her own struggles with depression and anxiety, showing that our unique difficulties can become sacred instruments for influencing the lives of others.

Practical Tips

• Create a small, informal support group with friends or acquaintances where you share and discuss personal challenges and growth. Use this space to practice offering comfort based on your own experiences, and encourage others to do the same. This can foster a community of mutual support and demonstrate how personal wounds can be transformed into collective healing.
• Incorporate vulnerability sharing into your daily conversations with friends or colleagues. This can be as simple as admitting when you don't know something or sharing a personal mistake in a relevant context. This practice can foster deeper connections and show others that it's okay to be imperfect. For instance, if you made an error in a work project, openly discuss what you learned from it rather than hiding it.

Sharing the complexities of our personal journeys, including the untidy aspects, can guide others toward the significant transformation inherent in spiritual redemption.

The writer posits that the intensity of our individual battles has the power to surmount opposing entities and foster the expansion of the divine kingdom. Their victory was achieved through the selfless act of the Lamb coupled with their willingness to share their stories, showing an indifference to their own lives, as described in Revelation 12:11. Our life stories bear witness to the sacred interactions we've experienced. He possesses the ability to reciprocate the action for them as well.

Our life's challenges can strengthen our spiritual resilience and assist us in overcoming hurdles.

Our individual stories are fundamentally important within the framework of Christian faith. Our struggles evolve into stories that highlight the splendor of divine compassion, our flaws emphasize His majesty, and our victories lead people toward the comfort found solely in His company. By bravely revealing our personal stories, we provide support and inspiration to others, enabling them to endure their hardships and keep their belief in the grand scheme for their existence.

Other Perspectives

• Some may argue that an overemphasis on individual narratives could lead to a subjective interpretation of faith that may stray from the core doctrines and teachings of Christianity.
• This perspective might not account for the complex psychological impact of trauma, which can sometimes lead to a loss of faith or spiritual crisis rather than a reinforcement of spiritual resilience.
• The concept that flaws emphasize God's majesty could be seen as a way to rationalize or excuse human shortcomings, rather than encouraging individuals to strive for personal growth and improvement.
• Victories may not always lead people to find comfort in God's company; some individuals may attribute their successes to personal effort or other factors rather than divine intervention.
• In some cases, sharing personal stories can reinforce a victim mentality rather than encouraging resilience and self-empowerment.
• The belief in a grand scheme of existence is not universal; people from different faiths or those who are non-religious may find meaning and resilience in other concepts or philosophies.