Do Not Grow Weary While Doing Good

Starting Strong–Growing Wearing

Spring is my favorite time of the year. The weather is warming up and it is time to plant beautiful annuals in my flowerpots. The flowers are lovely and I look forward to watching them grow as I water and fertilize them. 

Then July arrives with the sweltering heat. It hasn’t rained in days. The water routine is daily to maintain the plants. Each day the thought crosses my mind to forget it and let them survive the best they can. That decision I know I would regret, but it sure is tempting.

I Corinthians 3:6-8, NKJV, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, not he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.”

God gives the Increase

Paul, using a farmer’s analogy, makes it clear that we have a responsibility to plant and water the field. The fields are the people who we come in contact with that need Jesus. They may be lost or perhaps immature Christians that need to be nurtured with love and kindness. Even though we plant and water, God is the One that gives the increase. We are to work together as one for God’s purpose, but we will receive the reward as individuals. 

Do Not Grow Weary

Galatians 6:9, NKJV, “And let us not grow weary while doing good for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

When the circumstances in life are a challenge, we get weary doing the things of God. Frustrations add up because we don’t see any change in that person or circumstance. We’ve spent time nurturing and watering, but still no indication they desire to know Jesus or grow in the Lord. Our fleshly desire is to just give up.

Luke 5:19, NKJV, “And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus.”

Do Not Grow Weary

In this story of a paralyzed man, four friends learned that Jesus was in town. They picked up their friend on a mat and carried him to the house where Jesus was teaching. The crowd was so thick they couldn’t get in the door. They decided to go to the rooftop where they dug a hole and lowered the friend to Jesus’ feet. Jesus healed their friend. He walked out with his sins forgiven. What would have happened if these friends had given up? I’m sure they got weary carrying the man. How frustrating it was to get to the house and not be able to get in the door. These friends were determined and creative. They didn’t give up though it seemed impossible.

Are you weary of well doing? The hopes and dreams you had seem impossible. Your prayers for that friend or family member appear to go unanswered. Perhaps on a church committee you are exasperated because nothing is being done. 

Don’t give up! God tells us in His word that in due season we shall reap!

Keep watering….

Paula Wallace

Additional Reading

The Yoke

https://www.treadingwatertiljesuscomes.com/2015/10/06/the-yoke/