Do Not Grow Weary

Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

I’ve come to the point of burnout more times than I care to admit. You’d think I would have learned by now that I am a limited human being and there’s only so far my body and mind can stretch until they break. Call it stubbornness, ignorance, or flat-out denial, but I still hold on to the belief that I can push past my limits and avoid the repercussions.

In Galatians 6:9, Paul encourages believers not to grow weary of doing good. In this passage, Paul is not advocating for a life of perpetual burnout but rather encouraging believers to persevere in the Lord and his strength.

Obedience to God does not mean we do all things; it means we do all he has called us to do—with his strength and for his glory. Paul urged the churches in Galatia not to lose heart or become discouraged as they lived in obedience to God’s Word, doing good to everyone, especially those in the household of faith (verse 10).

As Christians, we are saved through faith alone by grace, but the evidence of our faith is our works (see Ephesians 2:8-9; James 2:26). When the love and grace of Christ changes our hearts, our actions are also transformed (see Ephesians 2:10). And yet, when we do not see the harvest for the work we are doing, weariness has a way of setting in. We may even teeter on the brink of burnout as we sow gospel seeds and sacrifice for others. This is when Paul takes us by the hand and exhorts us not to give up, reminding us that the harvest will come in God’s perfect timing.

I love Galatians 6:11, where Paul writes, “See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand.” In Paul’s day, the custom was for the letter writer to dictate his words to a scribe. Instead of having someone else write these final words, Paul wrote them himself—and he did so in a larger font. Paul knew firsthand the weariness we will face as we live for Christ. He faced the same temptation to lose heart when waiting for gospel seeds to sprout. Yet he also knew the harvest was coming and placed his hope in God!

It’s easy to lose heart in a world of instant gratification. Following Christ requires patience, perseverance, and eternal perspective. Weariness will come, but we can keep our eyes on Jesus, who persevered to the end.

• In your involvement in your church, do not lose heart.
• As you disciple the children in your life, do not lose heart.
• In praying for the lost, do not lose heart.
• As you lay down your desires to serve others, do not lose heart.
• In declaring the good news of Jesus Christ, do not lose heart.

We do not lose heart because we serve a risen Savior who supplies us with all we need to do what he has called us to do (see 2 Corinthians 9:8; Philippians 4:19). He has not called us to do everything—we are simply called to be faithful and to rest in him. He refreshes our weary souls, and he brings the harvest in due time. So keep going, keep giving, and keep serving—in his strength and for his glory.

Word before World When weariness sets in, remember Christ, who persevered to the very end and who supplies us with the strength we need to continue doing the good works he has called us to do in his name.

Grow in Grace Have you grown weary of doing good? Evaluate the areas in your life where you feel like giving up. What is the source of your discouragement? If God has called you to it, press on in faith, knowing the harvest is coming.