Are You Weary?
“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” – Galatians 6:9-10
Have you ever been weary or discouraged? I know I have, and if I am honest, I would say I am now. Please don’t take this the wrong way, God is doing incredible things in my life and in our church, things I am greatly excited about and give Him all the glory and praise for. At the same time there are many things to be weary about. If you have not spent the last couple years in a cave, living off the “grid”, and disconnected from society as a whole, then you know what I am talking about. There is so much going wrong in the world, so many threats, so many difficulties, and this is not even considering our own personal lives and struggles. Sorry to be such a downer, that is not my intent, but it is true. Why do I bring this all up? Because the above verse brings us our encouragement for the day and when we are feeling weary.
Paul, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is encouraging us to not grow weary while doing good. I love the word for good here it is kalos in the Greek and means beautiful, good, valuable or virtuous, honest, well, and worthy. What are we doing that is beautiful, good valuable, virtuous, and worthy? Think about this, maybe it’s our vocation, or our work in the church, or our relationships, or families, or recreation. It can be anything we are doing with the intent of bringing God glory and building His Kingdom. Whatever it is, we should not grow weary while doing it, even if right now it doesn’t seem like any good is coming out of it. Why?
Because, in due season, we shall reap if we do not lose heart. In other words, we shall gather a harvest if we do not faint or give up. I know I want to see a return on my investment so to speak. Whether it is a financial investment or an investment of my time or my emotions, I want to see that it was worthwhile, that something good comes of it. This does not mean that I do things just to get something back for me. The return should be God’s glory, the advancement of His Kingdom, spiritual and physical benefit and blessing to those around me. Whatever the case, I want to see that what I am doing is making a difference, that it's positively impacting the lives of those around me. This is the harvest that is promised to us if we don’t give up, if we don’t lose heart, if we keep doing good without growing weary.
The caveat is that the harvest will be in due season. The phrase means at the proper time for you or for me. This proper time is not my time but God’s, it is not when I want it, but when God decides it is time. Why do you think God does it this way? Think of a college student who knows when the test will be, often times they cram for the test right before hoping they will be prepared. Now, what about a class where there are only pop quizzes, no set test time. Those students have to always be prepared, always ready, always working to not get caught off guard. I think this is why the timing is so important, we don’t know when the season will be for us, so we continually do the work God has called us to, and we do so without losing heart, knowing that in God’s time the harvest will come. This is what verse 10 tells us.
Therefore, as we have opportunity let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. The word for opportunity can mean occasion or proper time, but it also means always. We should always be doing what is good and right in God’s eyes, especially to those who are part of God’s family. 1 Corinthians 15:58 reminds us, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” Maybe we won’t see the harvest today, or this week, or this month etc...But nothing we do in the Lord is in vain. So, we continue on, even if the world around us is falling apart our job does not change. We are to share the life-giving truth of the gospel with the world, sharing the love of Jesus with everyone we can. When we do not grow weary in doing so, we will see the harvest God has planned!
Image borrowed from Dreamstime.com
