In Galatians 6:9, Paul the Apostle says: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Christians can grow weary and tired of going good. You might be moving in the right direction or be on the right path. Yet, you can sometimes feel discouraged. You may feel underappreciated by those you have tried to help – your church, family, friends, and colleagues. The list can go on. You think there is so much work to do. There are so many needs to attend to. Constant demands on your energy and time leave you disheartened and exhausted. It is possible even to be disliked when you do good, as we see in scripture on many occasions and as exemplified in the life of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Although many loved Jesus for doing good, many also hated Him. All these circumstances can make you fed up doing good things or wondering why you even bother.
Don’t beat yourself up if you feel like this. I want you to know that many Christians have felt the same way. They can attest to experiencing this at some point in their walk. This is why we need God’s help to keep on going so that we can keep doing the good things we do. God gives us strength so we don’t give up and become discouraged. Where is one of the places we find strength? It is in the word of God!
Here, in Galatians 6:9, Paul encourages us not to give up. Prior to this verse, Paul had been appealing to the church in Galatia to walk in the freedom of Christ; they were now free people in Christ. He stressed their responsibility to live according to the Spirit of God who lived inside them.
However, after giving this exhortation, it must have dawned upon Paul how the duties and responsibilities of the Christian life he presented to them must have made them feel. Were they overwhelmed, perhaps? It wouldn’t surprise me, as this was weighty stuff he has been sharing, after all. Possibly, there were thoughts amongst the believers in Galatia, such as, “This is hard work” or “Can I do this?” “Is it really worth it to follow Christ?” “Does it matter?” Doubts had begun to set in! So, Paul encourages them to keep living in a way consistent with the message of Christ, consistent with their faith and what they believe in and keep on doing good.
And so, in the same way, I want to encourage you this month. Do not give up! Our Heavenly Father sees what we do. We may go unnoticed by others, but He is always watching. He knows you and sees you each moment of each day. He is the always present, all-seeing, all-knowing, and all-hearing God. The good we do as God’s children is not about the recognition or praise of men. Instead, it is to please and honour our God and Father.
You might not see the results of doing good immediately. However, you are promised that you will see the results at the right time! Just as when a seed is sown, we must have the patience to wait for it to grow and harvest, so we have to wait for the fruit and the rewards from our loving Heavenly Father.
Pray to the Lord that He might help you be patient while waiting for the seeds you have sown to be multiplied. And don’t give up, don’t grow weary, because God is faithful. Remember, as it says in 1 Corinthians 15:58: “Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.”
I pray that the Lord will continue to bless you and reward you as you continue to earnestly and diligently seek Him.
Every blessing,
Pastor Sherry Owolabi