stand firm
Don’t Grow Weary In Doing Good
Have you ever gotten tired of doing the right thing? Maybe you’re listening to your conscience, trying to do good deeds or walking in obedience to God. But sometimes it can get EXHAUSTING.
Often we either get no reward for doing good, we get no praise for obeying God and we even get punished or ridiculed for obeying God or listening to our conscience.
It can be hard to, like Peter and the apostles in Acts 5:29, live with the mentality that “We must obey God rather than men.”
Galatians 6:7-10, speaks to everyone who may feel this very relatable way: “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”
It’s a call to not grow weary. If we sow to the flesh – to earthly or sinful things – we will reap corruption, but when we sow to the Spirit – the things of God – the verse promises that we WILL reap eternal life.
It promises again “we will reap” — if we do not grow weary of doing good.
The writer understands this battle of doing good with push back, but he’s reminding us that it is VERY worth it.
In times when it’s hard to push forward in doing good, we can remember this promise that we will reap.
And we can shift our focus to remember that what we do is not for us, it’s not for others, it’s for God. When we have THAT focus, THAT motivation, any lack of recognition HERE or any push back HERE doesn’t matter in comparison to the fact that Jesus sees — and we will reap from it.
Galatians 1:10 asks us in our aim to do good, “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
1 Thessalonians 2:4 reminds us that we do what we are called to because He called us.
It reminds us of the One who gives us the opportunity to be part of His work, and, therefore, it reminds us Who we do it for: “but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.”
Colossians 3:23-24 powerfully charges us and promises us, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”
We do not do things to please man but to please God. God’s opinion is the one that matters.
Pleasing God may mean no recognition, receiving punishment or putting others and God above self, but it’s a worth-it path to take.
Stand firm in convictions with no rewards and with consequences, even consequences that impact others.
Let’s be people that don’t submit to acts against our convictions – even when pressured by society.
Let’s be people that stand by our convictions and do good even when it goes unrecognized or even punished.
Because it’s for God, and God sees and God gives us our reward.
XO,
Meg