Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9
Weary. That’s how Satya felt after nine months in his new job. As a believer in Jesus, he’d sought to follow God’s principles in the way he solved problems and directed the work. But people-related problems persisted, and little organizational progress seemed to have been made. He felt like throwing in the towel.
Perhaps, like Satya, you’re feeling tired. You know the good that you ought to do but simply feel too emotionally and physically drained to carry on. Take heart. The apostle Paul encourages us with these words: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9). He uses the metaphor of a farmer. And, as any farmer knows, sowing is hard work.
Sowing to “please the Spirit” (v. 8) is hard work too. Believers in Jesus who seek to follow the Spirit’s lead and live a life that honors Him can grow faint and lose heart. But as we hang on to His promise, the harvest will come. We’ll “reap eternal life” (v. 8; see John 17:3)—a bumper crop of God’s blessing when Christ returns, and in this life, we’ll have the confidence and joy that come from knowing Him. We’ll reap at the proper time, a time determined not by seasons or the weather but by the will of a perfect God. Until the harvest comes, let’s keep sowing in God’s strength.
What’s causing you to lose heart? How can you hang on to the promise that “at the proper time we will reap a harvest”?
Dear Father, please help me to not lose heart and to persevere in doing good.
For further study, read The Sword, the Son, and a Rest for God’s People.
INSIGHT
The letter to the Galatians wasn’t written to a single church or city but to “the churches in Galatia” (1:2), a region of what was then known as Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). There’s been an ongoing debate regarding the exact location of the recipients of this letter. Some scholars say the letter was directed to northern Galatia. Others say it was directed to southern Galatia, where Paul planted churches (Acts 13-14). Although the letter’s specific destination is unclear, there’s no doubt about its message. Paul is challenging the Galatians to set aside the teaching of those who taught adherence to Moses’ law as a condition of salvation. It’s all about grace. Bill Crowder
Learn more about Paul’s letter to the Galatians.