9 We must not become tired of doing good. We will receive our harvest of eternal life at the right time if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9
You know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize. So run to win! 25 All those who compete in the games use self-control so they can win a crown. That crown is an earthly thing that lasts only a short time, but our crown will never be destroyed. 26 So I do not run without a goal. I fight like a boxer who is hitting something—not just the air. 1 Corinthians 9:24-26
We can easily lose heart and run out of strength when we come up against the same problems over and over again as we cope with life and relationships with others. Some of the great apostles, including Paul; recognized that fatigue and discouragement might cause Christians to throw in the towel and quit. So he presents two incentives to keep us from giving up when we grow weary of serving others in love. First, he assures us of a reward for doing good: at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up (v. 9). Sometimes the harvest is experienced in this life. When we sow acts of love, we reap a harvest of love in return. When we sow the seed of God's Word in needy lives, we experience the joy of response. But we must remember that reaping a harvest almost never happens on the same day as sowing the seed. We may not even see a harvest in this life from what we have sown. Nevertheless, we must never give up, because we know that at the proper time God will allow us to reap the rewards, growth and all good things.
Father God - Give us gudiance and strength to fulfill our destinies that YOU have planned for us. When we grow tired, help us to "walk another mile" despite the strong desire to quit. Thank you for your Holy Spirit that will encourage us to move forward and receive blessings that YOU want to give us. Thank you for your unfailing love. Amen.
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