“So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up or quit.” (Galatians 6:9)
Another translation of this verse puts it like this: “Let us not lose heart in doing good.”
I’ve been tempted to lose heart lately. Ok, I have lost heart lately and it’s not a good feeling. When you lose heart you’re no good to anyone, including yourself.
At times like these, my conversation with God goes something like this:
“I’m doing the work, why aren’t you blessing me?!”
It’s like I’m still the little girl who was told I’d get a treat if I was good. It reminds me of a line from one of the Christopher Robin poems: “Have you been a good girl, Mary Jane? Have you been a good girl?!” Obviously I have a propensity towards being works-oriented.
When God gives me a vision of something he wants me to do, I just jump right in and start making plans, setting time lines and getting the T shirts and business cards printed, instead of praying and listening.
Like Richard Dreyfuss in the movie “What About Bob?” my tendency is to say, “I’ll take it from here, God!”
The problem is that when I make it all about me – my work, my priorities, my agenda, my expectations, it’s only a matter of time before I become discouraged and frustrated. Maybe a little mad. Eventually, I lose heart.
What I’ve discovered is that the only way to not lose heart in doing good is if my heart isn’t all tied up in it in the first place. God wants me to have a pure heart -a heart that follows hard after him.
At the end of the day it’s not so much about what we do as it is about who we are becoming. Becoming more like Jesus is a lifelong process.
In due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.
When I get weary, I get teary. I used to just shut down when that happened but I’ve learned that I can cry and yet keep on going. Scripture tells us that David wept till he had no more strength and then he strengthened himself in the Lord.
As believers, we’re promised that our sowing will result in reaping, even if we sow in tears.
“Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting. He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed, shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.”
What a beautiful picture the Lord painted for us.
THE LAST COURSE:
And so, Father, we look to you, our Lord of the Harvest. We lift up our dry and weary hearts and ask you to send your rain. I pray that the tears we shed will soften and purify our hearts, make us humble and real and approachable and authentic.
Encourage us that we might encourage one another, cause us to flourish so that we might reach others for you. Strengthen us in our gifts and talents and send us out into the fields you’ve prepared for each one of us. Help us to not grow weary.
