September 12, 2024
Andrew Thompson
Dunbar Cave, Campus Pastor
Galatians 6:9
Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
I distinctly remember a high school English teacher telling me she didn’t believe I was the kind of student who would do well in her class, and she did it in front of the rest of the class! As you could imagine, it was a very difficult thing to hear and left me feeling pretty defeated. You might suspect that my response would have been that I dug in, hit the books, aced the course, and smugly reminded the teacher of her lack of faith on my way out the door! However, my story with this particular English teacher is not quite as movie-esque. In the face of thoughts that she might actually be right, I grew increasingly discouraged and quickly switched into another English class with a different teacher.
My story illustrates how difficult it can be to pursue something when we feel we are beyond hope to make lasting progress. Paul understands that discouragement is the reason so many christians give up. I have known plenty of believers that grow frustrated when they feel like the effects of their “doing good” are not paying off as they thought they would. Maybe their efforts at sharing their faith with their friends or family have gone poorly, their struggle to overcome an addiction hasn’t worked, their prayers for a wayward child have seemingly gone unanswered, or they are just weary of feeling like they are doing the “right” thing and life continues to just beat them up.
Paul’s encouragement to believers having such thoughts is that their good deeds do not go unnoticed, and if they don't give up there is a promise of reaping from their good deeds! I suspect some of you who are reading this need such encouragement. Continue to do good, and don’t give up. Also, be someone who encourages other believers to continuously pursue good, especially those who you know have been walking through difficulty. Pray that God would bring the harvest quickly, and that you would be a follower who eagerly and tirelessly does good.
Dunbar Cave, Campus Pastor
Galatians 6:9
Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
I distinctly remember a high school English teacher telling me she didn’t believe I was the kind of student who would do well in her class, and she did it in front of the rest of the class! As you could imagine, it was a very difficult thing to hear and left me feeling pretty defeated. You might suspect that my response would have been that I dug in, hit the books, aced the course, and smugly reminded the teacher of her lack of faith on my way out the door! However, my story with this particular English teacher is not quite as movie-esque. In the face of thoughts that she might actually be right, I grew increasingly discouraged and quickly switched into another English class with a different teacher.
My story illustrates how difficult it can be to pursue something when we feel we are beyond hope to make lasting progress. Paul understands that discouragement is the reason so many christians give up. I have known plenty of believers that grow frustrated when they feel like the effects of their “doing good” are not paying off as they thought they would. Maybe their efforts at sharing their faith with their friends or family have gone poorly, their struggle to overcome an addiction hasn’t worked, their prayers for a wayward child have seemingly gone unanswered, or they are just weary of feeling like they are doing the “right” thing and life continues to just beat them up.
Paul’s encouragement to believers having such thoughts is that their good deeds do not go unnoticed, and if they don't give up there is a promise of reaping from their good deeds! I suspect some of you who are reading this need such encouragement. Continue to do good, and don’t give up. Also, be someone who encourages other believers to continuously pursue good, especially those who you know have been walking through difficulty. Pray that God would bring the harvest quickly, and that you would be a follower who eagerly and tirelessly does good.
Posted in Daily Devos