Do Not Lose Heart
0If you feel like throwing up your hands and quitting here’s a little something from God’s Word to help you hang in there a little while longer: “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap if we faint not.” (Galatians 6:9.) Anyone who is working hard will eventually get tired, and weariness is a particular type of tiredness that the apostle Paul warns us not to fall prey to.
Webster’s Dictionary defines weary as being physically or mentally exhausted. It also means to grow impatient with something, and the Greek word translated as weary in the New Testament means to lose heart. We will look at all of these definitions, but I’d like to start by asking a question.
What is the danger in us losing heart? The Bible tells us to keep our hearts with all diligence for out it are the issues of life. (Prov. 4:23) The heart is the seat of passion, and it is passion that drives us to action. The pursuit of our passion drives us to work with little thought of reward or compensation; in fact, the joy of pursuing the object of our passion is payment enough. That is why the Bible commands, “whatsoever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.” (Colossians 3:23). That means whatever you choose to do, do it with all your heart for God and not because you want to be seen by men. If no one sees, you will continue to work just as hard because it is the passion of your heart. If we lose heart, we lose passion. Where there is no passion, there is no will or drive to do. When passion’s fire is extinguished apathy and despair emerge from the ashes. Losing heart could eventually cost us our lives.
Losing patience can be just as deadly. There are no quick fixes with lasting results. Quick fixes can only give a great appearance for a short time. If you’re looking for something permanent you have to be in for the long haul. If you’re looking for instant gratification, weariness will catch you. God’s work in us takes time because it must stand the test of time. Remember, one day is as a thousand years with the Lord, so we might as well get used to waiting! (2 Peter 3:8) The Bible instructs us to possess our souls in our patience and it also encourages us to exercise patient continuance in well doing. (Romans 2:8) Faith and patience go hand in hand. Where there is faith, there’s patience and where there is patience, there’s faith; for, without faith (and patience) it’s impossible to please Him. (Hebrews 11:6)
Finally, the best cure for exhaustion is to slow down. If we go through life at break neck speed, burnout is inevitable. Take time to really enjoy your life. Have fun along the way. We may not be able to control the circumstance in our lives, but we can definitely control how we look at and respond to those circumstances. Focus on what really matters. Fight the major battles and don’t worry about the little skirmishes. One writer says, “Don’t sweat the small stuff.” In the words of a popular song, “Don’t worry, be happy!” And above all keep doing well; keep doing what you know is right because we have a wonderful promise from God. Due season will definitely come if we do not faint. If we hang in there and keep stepping, we’ll walk right into our blessings. Don’t lose heart and don’t quit. Keep your eyes on the prize and press toward the mark. We all may be closer than we think.
From my heart to yours,
Kathy
