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
Only a handful of Bible verses stand out in a childhood filled with Sunday church services.
Philippians 4:13 is the first verse I memorized. John 8:32 taught me that if I wanted to live free I needed to pursue truth. Jeremiah 29:11-13 reassured me that God’s purposes for my life are intact, even when it seems everything is chaos.
And then there’s Galatians 6:9. A verse that carries with it memories of high school, my first job and checkbook, and all the harried activities that go into getting an almost-adult ready for college and the life beyond. When this verse burrowed itself into my head, I was a 16-year-old who hadn’t a clue what was in store in the years to come. All I knew is that it wouldn’t have been included in the Bible unless it was important. And this made me wonder if I needed to be prepared for a day when “giving up” would be at the top of my to-do list.
Only it wasn’t a moment. It was a series of moments. And no one could have prepared me for how powerful the temptation to quit really is.
The whole concept of harvest is interesting. It takes 11 months of planning, prep, and planting for a few weeks of harvest. And even the harvest itself is a ton of work. Problem is most of us want the reward without all the other junk. We want the bounty without the weeding or toiling. We want the cash out of the crop before a single seed starts to grow.
Where do you land? If you’re good place right now, the question might be easy to answer, but not entirely accurate. It doesn’t take much to be tenacious when everything is going your way. But if you’re going through a tough time and it seems like you’re fighting one battle right after another, then the question probably hurts. The harvest is too far away to taste, and quitting promises immediate relief.
Galatians 6:9 is for you. FOR YOU. Plant that in your heart and let it grow, because the greater your toil, the more magnificent your harvest.
If you don’t give up.
- Day 330 (Monday): Acts 17:1-18:18
- Day 331: 2 Thessalonians 1-3, 1 Thessalonians 1-5
- Day 332: Acts 18:19-19:41
- Day 333: 1 Corinthians 1-4
- Day 334: 1 Corinthians 5-8
- Day 335: 1 Corinthians 9-11
- Day 336: 1 Corinthians 12-14
Thank you, Michele.
I needed that devotion to remind me not to give up, especially when it seems nothing is happening.
Gen 8:22
While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest… This scripture clearly says: seedtime AND harvest. We forget the AND. That AND can last a long time or a short time.
It could be: seedtime annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd harvest. If we can remember that, maybe we will be less tempted to quit.
Great reminder.
Diane
Don’t give up, Susan! I’m with you, cheering for you all the way.
Oh, and Diane, I loved the “aaaaannnnnnnnnnnnnnnd.” I’ve had some very, VERY long “ands” in my life. 🙂
My favorite line, “. . . quitting promises immediate relief.” I have been going through a battle for over a year now, and it looks like it will take another year before the full fruit is seen. God keeps telling be to keep praying, but the temptation to quiet has been overpowering at times. Yet, I keep praying and I get my second, third and fourth wind. 🙂 Thanks for this timely reminder, Michele.