2 THESSALONIANS 3:13 – As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.

THEME OF THE DAY. HANG IN THERE, BROTHERS AND SISTERS. Let’s admit it. There are times we want to take a break from life. There are times we would like to just stay in bed and let the world go on without us. There are times we are tempted to say to all the people that depend upon us, all the demands placed upon us, and all the responsibilities hanging on us, “Not today. You are on your own. Today is me-day; all about me.” And then there is the spiritual realm. We grow tired of fighting against the same old sins again and again. We find our hearts heavy with the challenges of living by faith when feelings betray such faith. We grow weary in obedience, not because we don’t want to be obedient to the Lord, but because of the failings of the flesh dragging us into the spiritual “blues” or just spiritual exhaustion.

I think the believers who received the Apostle Paul’s words in today’s scripture knew such weariness of soul and body. And these Thessalonians were solid Christians. In the opening of his first letter to them, Paul commends them for their walks with the Lord – “We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3). Yet, he is mindful of the toil and exhaustion that occurs when obeying the call to follow Christ. Jesus did not hide or cut corners when He laid out the requirements to follow Him – “And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). Friends, if our Christianity isn’t a personal cost to us when it comes to exhausting self-denial and self-emptying effort, it isn’t Biblical Christianity. Yes, the joy of the Lord is our strength and that because we need strength (Nehemiah 8:10).

But the Apostle Paul’s words are for us too. We, too, are to heed his encouragement – “Do not grow weary in doing good” (2 Thess. 3:13). Why? We do experience exhaustion in doing good. We do feel the tiredness at the end of a long day in doing good. We do know being at the end of our rope and sense we just don’t have anything left to give. But hang in there weary parent in the noble and exhausting labor of raising children for Christ; hang in there weary breadwinner facing the challenges of working in a godless environment; hang in there lonely singles and single parents feeling the drain of loneliness; hang in there spouse in a difficult marriage; hang in there faithful follower of Christ who may see little fruit and recognition for your toil and labor; yes, hang in there. It will be worth every tear in your tiredness, every ounce of strength you expend, and every day of exhaustion in doing good when you see Jesus and hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant, enter the joy and rest of your Lord” (Matthew 25:23).

Yes, let’s admit we grow weary in doing good, but allow our admission to become our confident proclamation that God’s grace is sufficient, not sometimes, but all the time and will prove to be our strength to do good till Jesus comes.

PRAYER: “Father, thank you that though my burdens are many and my days long, your grace always comes through.”

QUOTE: “Life is meant to be hard. Sin did that to the world and to us. Don’t think it should be otherwise.”