Galatians 6:9: When Weariness Drags Us Down

Galatians 6:9 “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

Have you ever tried to do something that seems to be of tremendous worth and great benefit to people? Have you ever put your efforts into achieving a goal and accomplishing a task? Have you failed time and time again at those efforts? I thought so. So have I.  It seems that some tasks are Herculean in size and here we are: such small and insignificant people. It may feel that there is only one of us doing this, that you, or I, is the only person in the whole world still striving for that goal.  Attempt after attempt, failure after failure, we start to get discouraged.  Occasionally we see the failure as coming from our efforts – we were not good enough, prepared enough, strong enough, encouraging enough, loving enough, etc. Occasionally we see the failure as coming from outside interference – events transpire to block our efforts, others do things that nullify our efforts, paperwork gets lost in the mail, etc. All of this becomes disheartening after awhile and our enthusiasm flags. Our energy seems to go away and we look once more at this seemingly insurmountable task and are reminded how fragile we are.  Our goals and dreams start to crack, shatter, and then break as we seem to continuously have to start over again.  We become weary and start to give up.

Yes, we can give up. It is all too easy. We raise our hands up and say “This is impossible!” and walk away. I have done it before and so have you. The sad thing is we never know just how close we came to actually completing the task or accomplishing that goal. We gave up because it seemed that everything was against us. At this point I am reminded of that Star Wars scene when Luke Skywalker tries to levitate his starfighter out of the muck of the swamp and fails. In disgust he says that it is impossible. Yoda looks on, shakes his head sadly and while Luke turns away Yoda levitates the spacecraft out of the swamp and over to dry land, passing over Luke's head. Luke sees this and exclaims “I don't believe it!” In his wisdom, Yoda, the mentor gently points out that Luke's disbelief is why he failed.

Yes, we lose our faith and belief in the accomplishment of our efforts and the completion of our goal. We never know how our failure may lead to finishing the goal. Like Thomas Edison, we need to see our failures as discovering yet another way that doesn't work, thus bringing us closer to finding what does!  We can not ever accomplish anything for God without God's help. We can't do anything for Him without His empowerment. We can give up but we need His encouragement, and here in our focus verse we are reminded just how easy it is to give up. Not only that though, we are also shown that yes, we can accomplish the goal! It will happen! Though the gates of hell stand against us, we cannot help but overcome because God is there with us, helping us, empowering us, and teaching us! I can only ask you, before you give up again, to look to God and get His aid. Don't be weary in prayer because that's where things are actually done. When you are ready to give up, push on! When you become weary call a friend, your pastor, myself and pray over it. I promise I will do the same. We are not alone in doing good. There is you and I and the Lord, and that is enough!

To the one who's dreams are falling all apart
And all you're left with is a tired and broken heart
I can tell by your eyes you think your on your own
but you're not all alone

Have you heard of the One who can calm the raging seas
Give sight to the blind, pull the lame up to their feet
With a love so strong he'll never let you go
oh you're not alone
                                                                                        - “Safe” by Phil Wickham c2009