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.”
Tired Christian. Weary saint. Exhausted believer. Those words will define every child of God paying the cost to make a difference for Christ in their short time on earth. It will be so of the parent diligently raising their children in the things of the Lord. It will be so of the spouse committed to modeling Christ in the marriage. It will be so of the worker in a godless work environment striving to be salt and light. It will be so to every child of God obeying Him to sacrificially serve His people in His Son’s Body–the church. Yes, the price is high to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. The price is also high to be a fruitful disciple of Jesus Christ. And there are no “sales”, “mark-downs” or negotiation of the price. The price tag always reads fatigue, weariness, and exhaustion.
In today’s scripture, the Apostle Paul’s statement may be accurately paraphrased like this–“When you grow weary, tempted to give up or take a rest in doing good, stop and remember all the efforts will bear fruit if we keep going.”
Weariness is inevitable in the Christian, and by the way, Jesus knew this experience as well. Remember the state He was in when He ministered to the woman at the well leading her to new life in Himself – So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour (John 4:5-6). The word “wearied” means extreme exhaustion, great strain of fatigue. Jesus was not just a little winded. He was physically spent, yet He mustered up the strength to minister to this hurting and lost woman. How did He do so? Don’t say, “Well, He was God.” Yes, He was and is, but He was also human and suffered what we suffer physically and emotionally. He was really, really tired, but what He had we have too for strength to do good, to serve when tired–the joy of the Lord.
In the Old Testament book of Nehemiah we find great words of encouragement instructing us of the power of God’s joy to His weary people – Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10). But the question is “How do we get this joy that strengthens us when weary?” A couple of ways but first remember the joy of the Lord isn’t a feeling, though we experience it. And we don’t have to define it, but we know when we have it. Now the ways to the joy of the Lord strengthening us.
First, joy comes from meditating on the Gospel. As weariness comes from doing good, continually remind ourselves of being new creatures in Christ because of the Gospel and the sure truth of Christ in us. Yes, Jesus, the Creator – Redeemer is in us! Constantly renewing our minds with the Gospel brings joy and with joy comes strength.
A second way to experience strengthening joy is by an obedient faith. What this means is don’t let weariness and fatigue keep us from obeying known commands. And here is an easy illustration. When we are tired and don’t feel like going to church, don’t feel like obeying the command “do not forsake the assembly of ourselves together” (Hebrews 10:25), refuse to give into the feelings. If need be, drag our tired selves to church and watch how God’s joy strengthens us. We will leave church energized and so glad we came–that is what strengthening joy will do.
When we grow weary. That short statement defines every Christian making a difference for Christ. And press on making that difference and do so in the strength of the joy found in the Lord Jesus.
PRAYER: “Father, teach me to rely upon Your joy to be my strength when I am weary.”
QUOTE: “The price to pay for making a difference in life for Christ is weariness. And it is not optional.”
Because of Him,
Pastor Jim