by Cindy Phillips
Have you ever found yourself doing the right thing, trying to help others, encouraging someone, or faithfully serving the Lord, only to feel as though your efforts aren’t making any difference?
You have prayed for someone for years without seeing an answer. You have shown kindness to someone who never says thank you. Or maybe you have tried to live according to God’s Word while watching others seem to prosper by doing just the opposite.
In Galatians 6:9, Paul writes, “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” (NKJV)
Notice that Paul doesn’t say we will never grow weary. He knew that serving God and doing what is right can sometimes be exhausting. Instead, he encourages us not to let that weariness cause us to give up. Think about a farmer planting a field. After the seeds are planted, he doesn’t walk out the next morning expecting a harvest. He understands that growth takes time. He must be patient, continue working, and trust the process. Our Christian walk is much the same. Every act of kindness, every word of encouragement, every prayer, and every effort to live faithfully is like planting a seed. We may not see the results immediately, but that doesn’t mean our efforts are wasted.
God sees what others may overlook. Hebrews 6:10 reminds us that God is not unrighteous to forget our work and labor of love.
Paul reinforces this encouragement in 2 Thessalonians 3:13, saying, “But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.” (NKJV)
Why would Paul repeat this message? Because he understood our human nature. Discouragement can creep into our hearts, and when it does, we may be tempted to stop doing good. We may think, “What’s the use? Nobody notices. Nothing is changing.” Our responsibility is not to control the results, rather it is our calling to remain faithful.
Jesus demonstrated this throughout His ministry. He showed compassion to the overlooked, reached out to the rejected, and continued His Father’s work even when people misunderstood Him. In John 9:4, Jesus spoke of doing the works of Him who sent Him while it was day. We, too, have opportunities every day to make a difference. A kind word, a helping hand, a patient response, or a prayer offered on someone’s behalf may seem like a small thing to us, but God can use those things in ways we may never fully understand.
The harvest may not come when we expect it, but we must not allow impatience to rob us of the joy of being faithful. Keep planting good seeds, keep showing the love of Jesus and keep walking in obedience to God’s Word. You may not see the fruit of your faithfulness today, but that is no reason to stop being faithful tomorrow.