Weariness Leads to Giving Up

If you have tried the regiment of exercise and dieting, perhaps you have suffered with not seeing the change as quickly as you would like and therefore, grow weary and give up. It is a common thing with all of us in one form or another. We are going great guns and when we don't see the fruit of our labor we grow weary and give up.

Being a pastor's wife I have had to struggle over the years with growing weary when I do not see the fruit of my labor and wanting to give up. I have taught Sunday School classes, lead women's bible study groups, tried to encourage women whose marriages were falling apart and prayed for many people to know the Lord or grow stronger in the Lord. Many times over the years I have gotten weary because of not seeing the fruit of my labor in some of these situations. I know I am not alone. I know many of you reading this have experienced the same type of weariness.

The Galatians were experiencing this as well. Paul wrote "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart" (Galatians 6:9). What happens when we grow weary? Paul answers that. We lose heart. What does it mean to lose heart? We begin to find all kinds of excuses to just "give up" and think we have every right to do so. After all "I tried." What I have had to focus on and encourage you to focus on is when he said "for in due season we shall reap." We have to wait until it is just the right time. His time. We have been wanting to plant an orange tree. I have to remind myself that I will not have delicious oranges immediately. We have to plant the young tree, see that it gets plenty of sunshine, fertilizer, water and then wait. It takes time but it will bear fruit "in due season." The Lord does have His due season and His timing for absolutely everything but it may not be as quickly as we would like to see it happen. Paul knows how easily it is for us to grow weary but challenges us to not give up. "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith" (Galatians 6: 10).