This week I have spent some time meditating on Galatians 6:9 which states “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” When it comes to God, we have a part to play and God has a part to play. Our job is to believe, to persevere, to keep trusting God. God responds to our faith and determination with a harvest of breakthrough!
Faith is so important to God, but as this passage demonstrates, so is faithfulness. God is looking to see if we will keep going when the going gets tough. I have people ask me, ‘why isn’t God doing this or that?’ We need to remember we are in a process with God.
John 15 :17 tells us “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” We are in process and in relationship with God and we need to be willing to walk out that process until we see the breakthroughs come. Galatians 6:9 says “if we don’t quit.” This implies that if we do quit, we can miss out on God’s best for our lives. We have some responsibility for how our lives play out.
There are so may things in life that make us feel like quitting. Things can get tough, when we see no results, when someone criticise’s us, when we get tired out, fear and doubt creep in, the enemy is constantly at work to discourage us and to get us to quit, because he knows if he can get us to quit, we will miss out on God’s best. I know in my own life the most discouraging moments have been just before the greatest miracles and breakthroughs. We need to persevere in the tough times!
Of course we need to realize that all of this not quitting is within the contest of walking in the will of God, living by the Word of God, within the context of ‘doing good.’ God’s word is not encouraging us to continue in sinful behavior, it’s not encouraging us to pursue the wrong things. This passage is an exhortation for those who are following God and living by His Word.
There are times when we are pursuing an endeavor and we discover it really doesn’t have God’s blessing on it, there are some times we need to stop doing things that God isn’t behind. Today I’m talking abut those moments when you just know God has asked you to do something or you have walked out in faith to obey God and you feel like giving up. If that’s you today I want to encourage you, don’t you give up, don’t you quit, God will come through for you!
When I was in Seminary, I spent some time studying the Welsh revival. During the revival, the young revivalist Evan Roberts worked tirelessly around the clock holding meetings. The revival swept across the nation, thousands were swept into the Kingdom of God supernaturally. And then then the enemy began to go work. Roberts pushed himself too hard, he started to burn out, people started to criticize him, he got deeply discouraged and he quit the ministry. Let me tell you if you are going to do anything for God, you will have opposition.
I have always wondered what would have happened to Wales and the nations of the world if Evan Roberts, had paced himself, taken care of himself, shrugged off the criticisms and persevered in the ministry. He saw incredible things happen but I’m sure God had greater things in mind.
Today maybe the enemy has been at work to discourage you and get you to quit, maybe you feel like giving up right now, I want to encourage you to hang in there, don’t grow weary in doing good because as you persevere, in God’s time, you will reap a harvest!
