Overcoming Weariness

Let us not become weary  in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Galatians 6:9

Somehow I have always divided this verse up in my mind without even realizing it.  Perhaps you have done the same.  Whenever there has been much work I need to accomplish, I have thought about the "Let us not grow weary" portion.  On days like last Sunday when no one showed up for Sunday School, I think of the other half.  Today as I studied, they were finally made into a complete thought in my reasoning.  Amazing how that happens.  I have been reading and memorizing verses such as this for the vast majority of my life, yet each day I can learn something new.

As I read this verse and others that go along with it (Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.  Galatians 6:7, Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.   II Corinthians 9:6) and a few others, I started thinking about this past year's garden.  There were several opportunities for our garden to have been ruined and non-productive.  Michael could have decided it was too much work to cultivate the garden area.  I could have allowed the weeds to take over and rocks to remain embedded in the soil.  Michael could have decided it was too costly to water twice a day and I could have easily decided that it was too hot and dry to harvest.  Because we fought against such thoughts and made ourselves suffer the aggravation of hard work, we yielded quite a large crop of vegetables. 

There are times in every person who gardens life when they wonder if it is worth the effort until the day that first flower blooms in full array, or that first green bean plant pokes its head above ground.  Suddenly rejoicing takes place!!  Then another time comes when the flower fades and needs trimming so it can bloom again.  We have to remind ourselves that the reward will come if we do the work.  As for green beans, we have to pick and replant in order to get the full harvest.  Is it worth it?  It depends on your point of view.  Perhaps you hate gardening.  Then you need to think of something you love to put it into perspective.  Do you love playing a musical instrument?  It takes hours upon hours of work to be able to do so, yet if you love it, somehow that's okay.  Do you love your children?  Think of the work that went into bringing them into this world.  The hours of labor and pain, but when you see those little fists and toes and that tiny wrinkled face, you fall in love and the pain is much more than worth it.  However, that's not the end of the work.  Do you want your child to grow up knowing right from wrong?  There is another huge job waiting, but when they grow into godly men and women whose sole delight is to serve the Father, the work is more than worth it.  There are many more comparisons I could make, but you get the idea.

So from now on I see this verse as one complete thought.  In my heart it will read something like this: Don't allow yourself to give in to weariness, because when the time is right you will reap a harvest - IF you don't give up.

As Christians it is easy to become weary.  We are constantly bombarded with negative news, negative thoughts, negative actions of those around us, and work seems to pile up no matter how much effort we put forth.  The world screams at us as Job's so-called friends did to him, "Give up!!  You're fighting a losing battle!"  and sometimes the temptation is so great, we almost do.  But then God will remind us of the coming harvest and we can hang in there.  We must remember all we have to look forward to and be grateful that we have the opportunity to do so.  God could have handed out justice immediately and wiped mankind out long ago, as He proved at the great flood.  But His mercies are new every morning and great is His faithfulness to His promises.  So He does not grow weary in doing good, even to the part of creation that continually turns their backs on Him.  He keeps going because, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."  II Peter 3:9

Sing praises to the Lord Most High!  He has delivered us from the powers of evil and set us on the high places.  He renews our strength and helps us to soar as the eagle!!  He waits patiently for our repentance.  He grieves over those who reject him and die in in their sins.  He rejoices over every one that comes to receive His free gift of salvation AND He never grows weary!!  Praise the Lord!!