DON'T GIVE UP

 NOVEMBER 18, 2022

Galatians 6:9

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

I remember a friend of my dad's who was a pastor sharing the story about a man in the community of their church. He was really quite antagonistic toward the church. This particular church from time to time would hold outside services in their parking lot. This gentleman lived across the street from the church. And whenever these services would be going on. He would be blaring his music from his garage as loud as he could. At other times he would set off his car alarm in the middle of the service. And he would be in no rush to turn it off. My dad's friend went to visit him to talk to him about his approach to the church's outdoor worship. But he was cold, and sarcastic and harsh. 

Is there anyone, or any situation in your world that you are just ready to give up on? Perhaps you’ve tried and tried but you continually seem to hit a “wall”, a barrier.

Our Verse today says to us in those situations Don’t give up!

Back to my dad's friend. While many in the congregation felt this gentleman lost cause, my dad's friend did not. One day, he looked over from the church parking lot, and he saw the neighbor down on his hands and knees weeding his flower bed. So this pastor went over and knelt down beside him and began to weed the garden too. After that day, a relationship developed. And while he never came to a church service. He never interfered with the outside services again. In fact, on occasion the neighbor could be seen standing at the end of his driveway. Taking the service in.

“Don’t grow weary” this passage says. There will be a harvest, you just don’t know when. Continue to pray and continue to ask and continue to do good. Continue to be faithful.

1 Corinthians 15:58 says “Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” Let this be the encouragement you need, we need today.