A Prayer for Existing Without Energy
On Depression, Numbness & Emptiness
The tank is empty. There is no reserve left. You are not tired in a way that sleep fixes — you are depleted at a deeper level. Existing itself takes effort. Getting through each hour requires energy you do not have. This prayer is for that profound depletion — for existing when there is nothing left to draw from.
Living without energy is different from normal tiredness. Normal tiredness responds to rest. This depletion does not. You have rested, or tried to, and still there is nothing there. The well has gone dry.
This prayer does not demand energy from you. It simply acknowledges the emptiness and asks for what you cannot generate yourself.
What Total Depletion Feels Like
When energy is completely gone, everything becomes heavy. The simplest tasks feel like moving through water.
- Every movement requires conscious effort
- Getting out of bed is an achievement
- Basic tasks feel insurmountable
- Sleep doesn't restore what is missing
- A constant sense of running on fumes
- No reserve for unexpected demands
If this describes you, you are experiencing genuine depletion. It is not laziness, it is not weakness — it is a real state that requires real care.
Why Energy Disappears
Total depletion can come from many sources: prolonged stress that never lets up, chronic illness that drains resources, depression that empties the tank, grief that takes everything you have, caregiving that leaves nothing for yourself. Sometimes it comes from combinations of these.
The cause matters for healing, but what matters right now is acknowledging the reality: you have nothing left.
A Prayer for the Depleted
This prayer asks for what you cannot provide for yourself.
Lord, I have nothing left. The energy is gone. Existing takes everything I have, and I don't have much. I cannot generate what is missing. I cannot will myself to have more. The tank is empty and I don't know how to fill it. I am not asking for productivity or ambition. I am asking for enough energy to get through this hour. Then the next. Sustain what I cannot sustain myself. Be my energy when I have none. Carry what I cannot carry. If restoration is coming, let it come. Until then, help me survive on borrowed strength.
After the prayer, do only what is absolutely necessary. Everything else can wait until you have resources to address it.
Surviving on Empty
When energy is depleted, these approaches may help you survive until restoration comes.
- Cut to essentials — everything non-urgent can wait
- Ask for help without guilt — this is what help is for
- Rest without expecting immediate results
- Address physical causes — iron, thyroid, sleep disorders
- Consider whether you need professional support
- Remember that depletion is temporary, not permanent
Energy often returns when the demands decrease, when underlying conditions are addressed, or when time allows healing. Your job is to survive until then.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is chronic lack of energy a medical issue?
It can be. Persistent fatigue should be medically evaluated — conditions like thyroid dysfunction, anemia, sleep disorders, or chronic fatigue syndrome can cause profound energy loss. Ruling out or treating medical causes is an important step.
How long can depletion last?
It varies enormously depending on the cause. Burnout recovery can take months. Depression-related depletion improves with treatment. Grief-related exhaustion lifts gradually over time. The duration depends on addressing the underlying causes and giving yourself time to recover.
Am I just being weak?
No. Energy depletion is not a character flaw. It is a state that occurs when demands exceed resources for too long. Strong people can be depleted — in fact, sometimes strong people deplete more thoroughly because they pushed longer before stopping.
What if rest doesn't help?
If rest alone doesn't restore energy, other factors are likely involved. Medical issues, mental health conditions, or ongoing stressors may be preventing recovery. Professional help can identify what's blocking restoration and suggest appropriate interventions.
Related Reflections
- On Being Tired in a Way Sleep Doesn't Fix — Deep exhaustion beyond physical rest.
- A Prayer for When You're Too Tired to Pray — Exhaustion and communion.
- A Stillness Practice for Low Days — Surviving when everything is hard.
- Browse All Reflections — Find more quiet spaces for the searching soul.