My dear readers,

Tired of Doing Good?

Galatians 6:9: “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap if we faint not.”

“I am tired!” This is likely a constant refrain during this difficult time from both young and old. If it is not spoken out loud it is pondered in the heart. The unceasingly difficult routines hampered by the ever-changing restrictions, coupled with the fear of catching this virus can take its toll on any soul, no matter how strong his conviction is.

And when age catches up, it is even worse. Tiredness seems to be the new normal. Everything slows down, from the mind to the heart to every joint in the body! The world is not as attractive as before. Food and drinks do not seem to matter as much; as long as we can swallow, we are happy. We take longer to get out of bed, put on our clothes, and walk the same distances. Getting up the bus or standing on the escalator becomes a challenge of balance. Holding on to the railings is a new unwanted routine for fear of falling. All these add up to a tired perspective of life that was never contemplated 20 years earlier.

This perspective of a tired life filters into the spiritual life as well. Service has become stale because the body is more lethargic than yesteryears. Reading the Bible has lost its thrill as the eyes struggle to see the words. The fire in the belly that once burned brightly to share the gospel has smouldered to ambers that urgently need to be fanned into life before they turn cold. The circuit breaker and embargo on physical gathering for worship add a copious amount of cold water to an already cold heart. When coldness sets in, tiredness prevails. Years and perhaps even a lifetime of holy and courageous service could be swept aside in one fell swoop when tiredness results in a total withdrawal of witness and service. Negative impact replaces godly impact. Doubts like “Is this the will of God or man?” force their way into a troubled mind. Could this be the ploy of the evil one to destroy the witness of God's children? God urges all His children to stop being tired!

Why are we tired? – Our heavenly Father has taught us that “though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day” (2 Cor 4:16). Bodily weakness resulting in physical tiredness is not an excuse for spiritual lethargy. The body and the spirit are separate entities, unless we allow them to become one. The adversary wants us to combine them to make us weak. Our unbelieving friends influence us to become like them. The evil one tricks us into thinking that when the body perishes so also the spirit. We have become pawns to be used by the devil against our heavenly Father. The LORD has given us an abundance of promises in Holy Scripture to be our shield against all such spiritual attacks. “…for when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Cor 12:10).

The world says, “When you are strong then you are no longer weak!” Whose words do you believe in? The LORD’s strength cannot be the believer’s strength unless he realizes his weakness. The LORD’s strength cannot be mixed with the believer’s strength in life and ministry. It has to be all of God's strength that courses through the veins. Then will the believer be strong in the LORD all his days. Then he will be able to say with Paul, “…let us not be weary in well doing...” (Gal 6:9).

We should not be tired! – There are many positive reasons why the believer ought not to be tired. The first reason is that the reaping is guaranteed. There are many whom the LORD has elected to be saved. They are waiting to be given the gospel. The testimony and sacrifices the believer bears is the water that waters the seed. This he must do faithfully and dutifully with cheerfulness. His life of holiness bears witness to sinners the powerful gospel of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit will take the Word of God and soften the sinner’s heart, turning stone into flesh! The believer is still very much needed today than ever before. “…I must not be weary…”: This must be your cry.

The second reason not to be tired is that the believer is serving God. There is no greater honour given among any earthly man to serve the God Most High than to the sinner saved by grace alone. Man serves his fellow man. But a child of God serves his heavenly Father. Once his service on earth is finished, it is over for good. His feeling tired hurts his God who has equipped all His children with everything they need to fight the good fight of faith and to not be weary in well doing. To be weary in well doing before his time is up is to imply that the LORD has not equipped him sufficiently.

The third reason is that he is witnessing on behalf of Christ. If he is weary then Christ is seen as weary to save. How can Christ who suffered and endured so much pain and shame be weary to save all sinners who go to Him? Did He not say categorically, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). Does not a tired servant reflect a tired Saviour who is weary to save? What a travesty to the mighty work of Christ on the cross of Calvary when we tiredly and disinterestedly complete the race that He has set for us! May we not be weary in well doing!

We must not be tired – Of course, the time of the reaping depends entirely on the One who gives the increase. Man can only plant and water. Patience and perseverance are the hallmarks of a faithful servant in every plantation. No man can rush the growth process of every seed planted. Man may be able to manipulate the earthly seed by way of genetic modification today, but no man can touch the spiritual work of the Holy Spirit in saving a sinner’s soul. That domain belongs to God alone! But it is guaranteed reaping if we faint not. It is the work of God through His faithful servants. That is why it is so important that God’s servants must not be weary in well doing!

If we faint, the work that we have begun could be rendered null and void. Abraham lived in the Land of Canaan for 100 years. He did not know that when he first arrived at the age of 75. If Abraham had remained in the land of Canaan for 99 years instead of 100 because he felt spiritually exhausted and wanted to return home to Ur of the Chaldees, his 99 years of obedience would have been rendered null and void as it was God’s plan for him to remain and die in the Land of Canaan.

He would have failed his Lord because he fainted. If we faint not to the end of our lives, then the work that was started from the onset of salvation will endure. Another reason for not fainting is that many younger believers look to older believers to finish the race set before them. The young will follow the mature believers as they follow Christ!

The LORD is the One who is working a good work through you. Lean upon Him and He will give you the strength to persevere to the end. 

Food for Thought – Psalm 126:5: “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.”