It's a phrase that I've heard many times in my life, especially when I was playing. It's a phrase I used many times when I was coaching ball in high school. It's a phrase that helped me many times when I wanted to quit...because it hurt, because it was hard, or because I was tired. "DO NOT GIVE UP!"
Have you ever been weary? "Weary," as defined by Merriam-Webster, means "exhausted in strength, endurance, or vigor; having one's patience, tolerance, or pleasure exhausted." Maybe you've experienced weariness in your workplace, in your home, or in your relationships. Maybe you've experienced weariness in kingdom ministry. Maybe you've experienced weariness in all of the above. Maybe you are weary right now. Paul has a good word for you in Galatians 6:9. Pauls 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." Of course, Paul was speaking the church at Galatia and encouraging Christ followers in their kingdom ministry work. Paul understood the challenges they faced in ministry, the challenges they faced both in their church and in their community. These Christ followers were doing good work. They were loving people, leading people into repentance of sin and faith in Jesus Christ. They were sowing gospel seeds in the hearts of people. This was no easy task! One thing that makes sowing seeds so difficult is waiting for those seeds to grow and to bear fruit. We have an enemy - the devil - who wants to steal from us, who wants to kill us, and who wants to destroy us. He loves to discourage us in any and every way he can, especially when it comes to kingdom ministry. Many, many times in kingdom ministry we can get weary and discouraged when we don't see things happening...repentance, salvation, growth, and more. We can be overwhelmed with feelings of despair and of defeat. We can, and yes, we will be tempted to give up, to quit! Paul says to us just as he said to the Galatians, "Let us not become weary in doing good." But how? How do we do that? I believe we do what John says to do in 1 John 4:7. John says, "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God." He goes on to say in verse 13, "This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit." And finally, John says in verse 16, "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them."
I believe we can fight the weariness in our lives by KNOWING and RELYING on God's love for us! I believe we can fight the weariness in our lives with the TRUTH of God's Word. God has called us into intimate relationship with Him, and He speaks to us through His Word and through His Spirit in us. As Christ followers, He has called us to be His children, to be His ambassadors, and to be His vessels in this world. We simply sow the seeds; the harvest belongs to God. When I pray, when I read God's Word, and when I listen to His Spirit in me, I can know the truth. The truth sets me free! In those times that hurt, in those times that are hard, and in those times when I am tired, I will turn to my Father; I will KNOW and RELY on my Father's love for me. And I resolve now to embrace the words of Galatians 6:9, when Pauls says to me, "DO NOT GIVE UP!"
