Galatians 6:9-10 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

In last Sunday’s sermon, I asked: How do you fight temptation to grow weary of doing good? For we all face that temptation. Every one of us at times feels like giving up, like stepping back from whatever ministry we do. But as we saw, Paul says it is absolutely vital for us not to grow weary. Indeed, he makes not growing weary in well-doing a key part of the test to see whether or not we are saved.

So how can we fight against this common, serious temptation? Let me elaborate here on three answers I gave very quickly in the sermon:

First, remember your reward. This is the obvious answer Paul gives in the text: “In due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” As verse 8 says, “the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” Doing good to others is one way that we sow to the Spirit. And when we sow in that way, the promised reward is the reaping of eternal life – that is, of eternal joy in Christ.

Thus, when we are tempted to give up, we need to remember eternity. We need to remember that this life is a brief preparation for the rich, deep life that God provides for all His children. We need to remember that He will say to those who sow to the Spirit, “Well done, good and faithful servant! Enter into the joy of your master!”

As Hebrews 10:36 says, ”You have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.” The will of God includes our doing good to all men. May we endure with joy by remembering our reward.

Second, fight the temptation to become weary in well-doing by remembering the power that is yours. The exhortation to continue doing good is not a command to stir up your will and thereby to keep on keeping on. Instead, we are to continue doing good by actively depending upon the power of God. This is not as obvious as the first point, but nevertheless is clearly taught in Galatians 6. For we already said that doing good to others is one way that we sow to the Spirit. But surely we cannot sow to the Spirit on our own. Sowing to the Spirit must mean turning our hearts, our minds, our wills to God, submitting to Him, leaning on Him, depending on Him. For Jesus said, “Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5).” My we continue doing good by striving with all His energy, which so powerfully works in us (Colossians 1:29).

Finally, we battle against the temptation to quit by remembering the privilege God gives us. God doesn’t tell us to go stand on our heads in our bedrooms in order to show that we are His. No. He tells us that we are to do good to others. When we love each other beyond what the world expects, all people will know that we are Jesus’ disciples (John 13:35). His love is perfected or completed in us through our good works, so that we are as He is in the world (1 John 4:17). And while we may not see the impact from our limited perspective, God assures us that He is filling the earth ”with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea (Habakkuk 2:14).” And He brings this about through you! He gives you a vital role to play, when you endure in good works by the power of the Spirit.

How has Satan attacked you? Do you feel weary? Have you been tempted to give up? Has it seemed as if your efforts to love a challenging family member, to witness to a hard-hearted colleague, to help a poor family, to labor for the church family – has it seemed as if these efforts accomplish nothing?

Paul says: Let us not grow weary in doing good! Remember your reward! Remember the power! Remember the privilege! Do this, for God’s glory and our eternal joy.