When You're Weary

Daily Reading: 2 Thessalonians 3

Do not grow weary in doing… (2 Thessalonians 3.13)

Devotional Thought: Who would argue against prayer or obeying God or trusting God's love?  There may be a few who would argue against working to support yourself, but most people would agree that this is good, too.  If all these things about which Paul wrote are good, then why would anyone grow weary of them? 

The Achilles heel in our faithfulness is not in the goodness of what we do, but rather in the doing of it.  Hence, Paul wrote do not grow weary in doing!

You’ve been there, haven’t you?  You know that what you are doing is good, but you just get tired of doing it.  What causes that?  I can think of several things…

·       Fatigue.  Sometimes we just get physically tired, mentally exhausted, or emotionally spent.  Any work we do demands effort.  The term work was originally used to indicate “weight lifted through a height.”  It takes energy to lift a weight through a height.  When we experience fatigue, then we must rest and replenish.

·       Focus.  Sometimes we just don’t see the reason for what we are doing.  We get mired down in the smallness of the task and fail to see the larger picture.  To restore the big picture, remember to do what you do as unto the Lord!

·       Failure.  This is probably the biggest cause of growing weary in doing.  We work and work and work, and we just don’t see results.  Remember that you are only responsible for obedience.  God is responsible for the results.

Paul wrote in another place: “Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6.9).

Prayer: "Are you weary?  Are you heavy-hearted?  Tell it to Jesus; tell it to Jesus.  Are you grieving over joys departed?  Tell it to Jesus alone."  Amen.  (Jeremiah Rankin)

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 30.6-12

6 As for me, I said in my prosperity, “I shall never be moved. ”

7 By your favor, O Lord, you made my mountain stand strong; you hid your face; I was dismayed.

8 To you, O Lord, I cry, and to the Lord I plead for mercy:

9 “What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness?

10 Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me! O Lord, be my helper! ”

11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,

12 that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!