Have you ever done something good for someone, but did they not realize it? Maybe you made a special dessert for your spouse, but they acted it just like another Tuesday night dinner. Or perhaps you donated the money to a friend, but they didn’t even say thank you. Whatever the gesture of kindness, we humans can experience daily fatigue when we serve, give, or love, or feel unnoticed.
Planet Earth revolves around fast results. I vomit 24/7. Consumerism is part of our culture. In most cases, there is no problem. Still, Christians are challenged by God’s kingdom, and function and operate in this way.
These words are said in Galatians 6:9. “Let us not tire of doing good; we will reap the harvest at the right time if we do not give up” (NIV). For context, Paul pushes the Galatians, encourages them to fight good fights, avoid sin, and strive for holiness. We must cling to spiritual desires and resist sinful nature. But honestly, this can be tiring.
Here, the agricultural image of sowing and cutting harvesting is extremely important to our understanding. As the commentary of the enduring words records, we are called to share (in our sufferings and burdens, gifts and offerings). why? Because sharing all the good things reflects the value of harvesting and sowing.
“The farmer will reap the same way he owns. When we plant wheat, when we come out, the wheat will come out. In the same way, sowing meat increases the size and strength of the meat. Farmers are the same as sowing, but apple seeds will grow more equipment rather than growing more apples. We will reap eternal life.
Similar illustrations are displayed in Corinthians 15:58, Eclecciastes 11:6, and Matthew 13.
I work hard for the Lord and know that your work will not be wasted. Plant your seeds faithfully, but understand that growth will ultimately lead to the main. No matter what you plant, plant deep roots.
The results for sown species will not be available anytime soon, but we will see it one day. Unfamiliar seeds may be sown until they see the harvest in heaven. If we know this, why are we tired of doing good?
Why are we tired of doing good?
It sounds like a simple question, but most of us are tired from being pushed on every side, not because we don’t want to. Check if any of these examples can be related.
After a long day at work, you put aside your thoughts, feelings, and agendas to listen to your child. Instead of thanking you, they say you don’t understand and march into their room. Soon, a wave of fatigue will hit you. Emotional fatigue is high for helping without gratitude.
Trying to distract you, you pray for you, your children, and your husband. You feel like you are praying the same prayer for weeks. It’s not loved, it’s frustrating. Mental fatigue becomes as heavy as a blanket that is weighted to your soul.
Trying to relax, you flip the news. An overwhelming amount of stimulation pops out of the screen. Not only is school shootings and local deaths the norm, but the commercials preach one message. You are not enough. You need bigger eyelashes, clearer skin, and immediate results. Cultural fatigue feels like an endless marathon.
As it takes time to plant seeds, these examples reveal that results are rarely readily available. So are the harvests we reap from good, which we are invisible at first. why? Because the reality is this: everything we do for God’s kingdom is important, but we plant seeds that will never grow, and that is difficult for us.
Plant seeds that we may never grow
Every day, invisible seeds are planted: good and bad. Words of kindness spark hope, life-changing prayers will be revealed a few years later, and the students you taught in the sixth grade will continue to become missionaries at the age of 21. Paul and Appollos explained this in 1 Corinthians 3:6-7.
Many have discussed following Paul and Apollo, but the Gospel makes it clear. It doesn’t matter who planted it or who watered it, but who gave it the species growth? And it is always God who will grow our good deeds.
“What is Apollo, after all, and what is Paul? The servant you came to believe in, I was assigned to each of his work, as the Lord assigned him to each of him. You are the field of God, the building of God” (1 Corinthians 3:5-9, NIV).
Through these Bibles, Jesus tells many parables of hidden growth. I think he did this because he knew we were tired. It’s fascinating to think that invisible work is wasted. But if God is truly controlled, he can use what is invisible, underestimated and hidden from the human eye.
How to keep going when you’re tired
If you feel tired today, I want to give you some practical encouragement. First of all, I want you to know that it’s okay to get tired. Yes, it’s okay to throw it in a towel, cry into the bed, get tired. Human experience is not for the faint of heart. I was too tired to stand up many times in my life. Yet, with each season, the Lord is faithful. He pulls me away from the brink. He will restore my soul.
Once you examine your experience, I recommend that you learn to rest in the power of God, not in yourself. No matter what your job is, I want you to know that it matters to God. Rest in Christ does not mean not to work. Rest in Christ means doing what you can and leaving the rest in the hands of the Lord. Isaiah 40:29-31 explains the rest in this way. “He gives fatigue and enhances the strength of the weak. Even young people are tired and tired.
Note that these verses are not saying we are not tired, but that he empowers us and enhances us when we do. Certainly, the King of Kings knew what to pursue good without gratitude or recognition. Still, he mostly rested. We are tired of doing good, but if we constantly state our hope, trust, and faith in the Lord, he alone will renew our strength.
In reality, resting in the Lord means building a rhythm of rest and prayer in your daily schedule. The Sabbath is important, but the daily Sabbath practices are important too. Likewise, it’s important to celebrate a small victory! Keep a thank you diary, record your testimony, and look up and practice the answers to your prayers.
When trying these practices, remember that Christ did not create us to command us alone. Surround yourself with the encouragement of your community, church, leaders and families. When you do this, keep eternity in mind. I know it’s difficult. I know you want to see the fruit of your labor now. I know you want to see those answers to prayer as soon as possible. But remember: the fruit may come later or in heaven. Your job is not growth. Your job is to plant seeds.
Trust God’s timing for harvest
Trusting God’s timing for this “harvest” is meaningless in our finite mind. You need instant results and crockpot meals in microwave times. However, the seeds should not sprout overnight. God’s timing is not just a difference, it’s better.
The peasants plant his seeds, water them, spread the fertilizer gently, and he knows that in the end, growth is up to the master. Growth leads to many factors other than his control. Still, he continues to plant.
If you don’t give up, you will harvest the harvest seasonally. This requires patience while waiting, but it is always worth it. I don’t know what you are waiting for today, the prayers waiting for you to see, or the good deeds you weren’t noticed, but I know this. Your seeds are important.
Friends, nothing is wasted in God’s kingdom. Continue sowing, trust in God for the outcome, and continue to be faithful to small and large species.
Photo credit: ©istock/getty Images Plus/Romolotavani
Amber Ginter is the author who turned to teachers who love Jesus, her husband Ben and granola. Amber’s growth was searching for faith and mental health resources, but found nothing. Today, she not only read your Bible and prays more, but also offers hope to young Christians suffering from mental illness. Because you can love Jesus and still suffer from anxiety. Download her best faith and mental health resources for free and help you navigate books, podcasts, videos and influencers from a faith lens perspective. Visit her website at amberginter.com.
