LET US NOT GROW WEARY WHILE DOING GOOD

an Exhortation

by Michael Murakami

            Brothers and sisters, let us begin this exhortation message by reading Galatians 6:9: “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

            Do any of you ever grow weary while doing good? Does anyone get tired of doing the right thing? Trying to be good all the time? – – I sure do! I get so tired; it has taken a whole lot of pushing and pulling and patience for me to get in the habit of behaving good on a regular basis. For such a long time, I was so good at being bad.

            I used to be a horrendously immoral person. I had no shame! C.S. Lewis said, “No man knows how bad he is until he has tried very hard to be good.” Who can attest to that quote? “No man knows how bad he is until he has tried very hard to be good.”

            When I was young in the faith and barely starting to walk with Christ, I thought, “Yeah, I just have a little extra pride that I need to get rid of.” But when the Spirit began working in me on that “little extra pride”, it was also revealed to me that I was selfish, I was lustful, I was a liar, greedy, mean, rebellious, judgmental, unforgiving, ungrateful, disobedient, disloyal, etc., etc.

            When we were living knee-deep in our sin, we knew little about our own badness. We had it easy because we always gave in right away to our evil impulses. It is only when you resist temptation you know how strong it is. It is like going to war. The only way you find out the strength of an army is by fighting against it. Brothers and sisters, this is spiritual warfare!

            The Apostle Paul discusses this spiritual battle extensively in Romans 7. “For I know that in me nothing good dwells . . .For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.” How many of you have been there? Wanting to do good, but can’t, or won’t!

            Fortunately, for all of us, doing good is not a requirement for justification. We don’t need to do good to be saved. Christians are in a different position as other people who are trying to be good. Other people of other faiths try to be good in hopes to please God with the purpose of earning their way into heaven. And people of no faith try to be food in hopes to gain approval from “honorable” men. However, we believers of the truth, know that any good we do comes from the Christ-life inside us. We don’t think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us.

            We are made good and can do good only by the grace of God. We are not saved by our goodness; however, because we are saved by the sacred blood of Christ, we are able to do good.

            So, what is our standard? How good should we be? Well, whose example are we professing to follow? We call ourselves “Christians” don’t we? The name “Christian” means “Little Christ.”

            Some might say, “I can’t be like Jesus” You can’t hold me to that expectation. I’m no saint.” And perhaps they are being humble when they say this. But, we are called to be saints. Why then are you not a saint? It is because you don’t want to be a saint, or that you do not believe God can make you one.

            Those of us who have accepted the Lord’s gift of eternal life, we are supposed to do good. We are created in Christ Jesus for good works. (Ephesians 2:10) Goodness is one of the fruits of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22)

            God never asks us to do something that we cannot do; that He does not first equip us to do. God asks us to be good to our enemies (Luke 6:32-35); to overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21): and to endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 2:3). I know this might sound absurd, impractical, unimaginable, etc . . . and you are right! “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)

            Brothers and sisters, we have been given a new spirit. Rely on your relationship with Jesus and know who you are in Christ. When you know who you are, then you will know what to do.

            We recently welcomed in a New Year, and that is a beautiful blessing. But no doubt, this New Year will soon bring challenges and new struggles (if it hasn’t already). Nevertheless, let us not grow weary while doing good, let us not lose heart.

            We are built to last! God has supplied us with the strength and the courage to fight the good fight of faith. (1 Timothy 6:12) And Jesus asks us to be of good cheer, because He has overcome the world. (John 16:33)

            The battle is already won, brothers and sisters. So today, be the reason why someone believes in the goodness of God!