The following verse is from Paul’s letter to the Galatian Church.
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
~Galatians 6:9
People get tired of doing good for several reasons. Guard yourself against these 3 major ones:
#1. A lot of people do bad and appear to get away with it.
"But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked."
~Psalms 73:2-3
It can be discouraging to watch perpetrators of evil prosper. It makes you think that there is no point in doing good. Our society tends to reward corruption and dishonesty. They call it being ‘smart’. This discourages honest people and can get them to give up.
#2. Doing good, in a predominantly evil world, is very difficult.
"We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one."
~1 John 5:19
From the day Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, death and decay entered into the world. The very atmosphere that we live in is highly corrupted with wickedness, lies, and deception. Ours is a fallen world. This poses a tremendous challenge to anyone who wants to live in righteousness and honesty. The potential of this point to discourage many from pursuing good, is enormous.
#3. Rewards – for good and for bad – do not happen at the beginning or middle of the actions. They happen at the end.
"When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, the hearts of the people are filled with schemes to do wrong."
~Ecclesiastes 8:11
Salaries are paid at the end of the month. Crops are harvested at harvest time. Degrees are awarded at the end of academic program. Rewards do not happen at the beginning, or even at the middle. They come at the end of the day. The period between the beginning and the end is a very tough one. It is during this period that many give up and conclude that their good deeds were performed in vain.
These discourage people from persistently doing good.
Many begin but get weary as a result of these reasons.
Here are 3 ways to sustain yourself in doing good:
#1. Fall in love with good deeds. Let the doing itself become your main reward.
In this, as in everything, Jesus is our perfect example. Pay particular attention to the underlined phrase.
"But about the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy"
~Hebrews 1:8-9
If you are doing good just for the sake of the rewards, you will not last in it; but if you love doing good as a matter of nature, it will be hard to stop, even if the rewards are not there. Learn to love goodness, honesty, sincerity, righteousness, not for the benefits, but for their own sakes. this will sustain you through seasons when it seems like your goodness was a wasted effort.
#2. Associate with people who enjoy doing good.
"Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character".
~1 Corinthians 15:33
A lot of times, you start out with noble intentions only to be ‘coached’ by close friends on how to do bad things. So, watch out. Be cautions in friendship. Avoid corrupt characters. Associate with men and women of noble pursuits, who love doing good.
#3. Ask God for strength.
Because of the nature of things – how difficult it is to sustain goodness in a wicked and perverse world – you would need the help of the Lord all the way. Ask Him to help you. Pray daily for His strength to overcome the pull of wrongdoing.
Let this verse be your close companion as you journey through time.
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
~Galatians 6:9