Should I Continue
Doing Good?
And
as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good. 2
Thessalonians 3:13 (NIV)
William Carey, often considered the father
of modern missions, once wrote: "If, after my removal, anyone should think
it is worth his while to write my life, I will give you a criterion by which
you may judge of its correctness. If he give me credit for being a plodder, he
will describe me justly…I can plod. I can persevere in any definite
pursuit."
Have we ever wanted to throw in the towel,
call it quits, and just move on to something else? Starting something with
enthusiasm is easy, but seeing things through until the end is not always easy.
This can also happen to us spiritually.
After we begin following and serving God, our enthusiasm can be challenged when
we are met with the harsh reality that living the life that God has called us
to live is hard work. The result is that weariness in doing good can set in.
If Paul warns that we should not become
weary in doing good, the implication is clear: becoming weary in our efforts to
do good is a real possibility. Why? What would cause us to become weary?
Weariness in doing good often comes about when we fail to see the positive results
of our labor, and therefore, we can be left wondering, What difference does any
of this make? Also, if our work goes unnoticed, we can be left feeling unappreciated
and that the job is unnecessary. And, of course, we all experience those times
when everything becomes a battle, and we are constantly met with opposition.
That is breeding ground for weariness.
How can we keep weariness away? Remember
God. First of all, God sees our work, our faithfulness to serve, and our
willingness to obey. Even the good works that no one else sees, God sees and
God cares. Not only does God see our work, but God will one day reward openly
all that was done for Him, even those unnoticed works (see Matthew 6:4).
Lastly, God is glorified by our good works (see Matthew 5:16), and bringing
glory to God is to be one of the most important things we are to do while here
on earth.
Growing weary in the work of the Lord is
one thing, but to grow weary of the work of the Lord is quite another. Never
grow tired of giving to God, trusting God, praying to God, obeying God, and
sharing God with others. God sees our good, God will reward our good, God is
glorified by our good, and God calls us to remain faithful in doing good. So,
keep up the good work!
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