Don’t Give Up

Scripture:

Galatians 6:9-10

So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith.

Observation:

There is a moment here where Paul calls for a fact check! What are the motives of those who are serving God? The temptation always exists to be spurred on to finding success in the flesh. This is the short-cut approach in which we may be not always do what is right, because it’s not as expedient. 

Paul admonishes the believers in Galatia to not give up, but to be committed to that which is right for the long-haul. The harvest doesn’t come overnight — or if it does, it’s not a good harvest. The true harvest is that which comes after the long-term investment in caring for the soil and the seeds, working for the good of all. This is especially true for those who are a part of the church. 

Application:

We all want instant results, whether in business, in relationships, in diets, in exercise, in cooking, in school, and even in church. The speed at which everything in this world is changing only reinforces the pressure that we may feel. However, the cultivation of the spiritual life and the milieu of discipleship should be anything but fast. It simply takes time and persistence. We should not give up. 

When we feel like we are expending energy in doing good and not seeing any results, its easy to want to give up. But what if God is telling us to hang in there, and to keep at it? Keep praying for that child. Don’t give up on that spouse. Love the person who is prickly. Go out of your way to create space for the cultivation of relationships in which spiritual life and development are grown. 

There will be those who make you feel like doing the right thing is the wrong thing. Slow down, spend time with the Lord, and wait to move forward, only when you feel clear in your heart. This is not giving up. While the world may be speeding up, we are in a relationship with our Lord for all of eternity. God has all the time in the universe so maybe we don’t need to succumb to the tyranny of the urgent. This is seeking God’s guidance for the right thing.

Doing the right thing means we consider the needs of others and not just our own. We wait and work for the common good, which may not be as profitable for us, personally. It’s a spirit of generosity and hospitality, in which we willingly share our lives with others. 

If you feel like giving up today — don’t! Seek the face of God and the Lord’s leading in your work, relationships, hobbies, pleasures, spiritual life, and church. Do what is right, not necessarily what is expedient, and then wait for the harvest. 

Prayer:

Lord, may your patience grow in my heart and life. Amen.