Michael Adekoya – “Let us not be weary in doing good, for we will reap in due season, if we don’t give up” Gal. 6:9.
Dear Reader, can I tell you what you need to watch out for in a great race, match, fight, and marriage; even in a great church, in a great process of parenting, in a great process of building a company, business or ministry? ‘Weariness!’ Paul told the believers in Galatia, “You did run well but who hinders and discourage you?” He went on to say, “Let’s not be weary in well doing; for you shall reap in due season if you faint not.” What do you do when you’re weary?
You may ask, “What’s weariness?” Webster says, “Weariness is when you have your sense of pleasure exhausted.” Weariness is when your sense of joy or enjoyment decreases. When you first started running, when you first became a Christian, when you first became a member of your local church, when you first started dating that man or woman, when you first started building the business or ministry of your dream, you were enjoying it but not anymore. Sound familiar?
Listen! It is easy to discover your purpose in life and get weary in the middle of developing or deploying it. It’s easy to be discouraged and grow weary of being a spouse, a single parent, a Pastor, a worker in the church, an employee, a member of a local assembly or club, an employer, a resident of a nation…the list goes on…and you just want to quit! My friend, is this where you are now? Are you tired of the whole thing and contemplating of giving up or quitting? I have Good News for you. Rise up and resist that temptation because if you don’t, you’ll make a permanent decision based on a temporary feeling or situation. Where you are now is not where you are going. The journey is still far. Better days are ahead of you and God will not leave or forsake you.
One woman who resisted such temptation was Abigail, the wife of Nabal (1 Sam 25). She was such a beautiful and an understanding wife; but Nabal, her husband, was harsh and evil – the type of a man who takes advantage of his wife’s good heart. Despite his cruel attitude towards her, she didn’t give up on him. She even saved him from the sword of David because she chose to honour her husband instead of humiliating him or quit the relationship. Did you hear that? What a virtuous woman!
Abigail drew joy, patience and strength from God, not from what’s happening in her surroundings and God rewarded her. Even when Nabal died, David, the king, was so impressed with Abigail that he took her for his wife. My friend, are you tempted to give up, to leave it all behind, to throw in the towel or to quit? Don’t do it! Make God your joy and wait for His reward. The joy of the Lord is your strength. We are not faithful to get a reward, but we are rewarded for being faithful. That’s profound, my friend!
In a race, you may get rid of every weight that can hinder you; you may get rid of the sin – your sin – that easily ensnares you but until you get rid of your weariness, you may be hindered, stagnated, give up or want to quit! As powerful as Prophet Elijah was, a threat from Jezebel, the witch, got him running from his calling. Why? Because he was weary. How will a man, who outran the chariot, not be worn out? But because God knew that Elijah’s ministry was not yet over, He fed him, made him to rest and strengthened him to carry on. My friend, you can’t quit because it is not over until you achieve, until you finish your race and win.
Things weren’t going well for the disciples. What worked before, wasn’t working again. They told Jesus, “…we have toiled all night and caught nothing…” My friend, does that describes you? “Lord, I tried so hard but look at my life, look at how my husband is treating me in this marriage?” “Lord, I have obeyed You in my tithe, I gave offerings every time, I gave to the poor, and served You with all my heart, with my time, with my talent and treasures in this church but see what’s happening?”
“Lord, I have prayed, fasted, sown seed and believed You so much but why am I still single?” “Lord, I have married since five years ago, yet no child.” “Lord, why are people not coming to my Church?” “Lord, I worked so hard, why am I having nothing to show for it?” “Lord, why is my parent, spouse, child, friend still not saved?” “Lord, I have put in all efforts that I can into this company, this club, this team, this government, yet no growth or progress”. “Lord, what’s happening to my finance, career, education, business and my nation?” I’m tired and I want to quit. My friend, is this where you are now? I have a word for you.
Peter, John and James were once in your position. They were washing their nets; the last thing fishermen do before they give up and head for home. They were tired, fed up, discouraged and wearied for lack of results and saw no point in trying again. My friend, hear me! The Lord God often waits until we’ve been humbled and challenged by circumstances, even by people, then He steps in with a life changing word. God has a comforting and transforming Word for you in every situation.
God still speaks today to people and when He speaks, it is your make or break moment. It may be a word that is so hard to accept at first and you become so defensive. Sometime, when this Word comes through a person so familiar to you and you may want to water it down, make a joke about it or resist it thinking, “He doesn’t know what I’ve been through” or saying to the person, “I really don’t care anymore about the issue. What will be will be!” This is a wrong attitude! God’s word is His bond. It produces results.
If you go with your feelings or you are arrogant to resist the Word of God, you’ll miss what God has got for you. But if you exercise your faith and determine not to give up on the issue or quit from the whole thing, there will be a turnaround. All things are possible with God. When your back is to the wall and you feel like you’re out of options or feel there is no way, you should be honest to tell God how you feel. Peter told Jesus, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything” (Luke 5:5). My friend, it’s time to go on your kneels and be open to God. Don’t be too full of yourself to despise God’s word for your life!
Generally, the greatest discoveries about God take place when we have reached the end of our rope. God usually shows up when we need Him most. No matter what may be happening around you, you need to exercise patience, trust in the Lord and have hope to find new strength. You’ll soar high on wings like eagles; you’ll run and not grow weary and you’ll will walk and not faint (Isa 40:31). My friend, seek the face of God and get a word from Him when the going is tough and you want to give up or quit. We walk by common sense. Nobody goes to school to learn how to walk. But we can only fly higher in life by obeying instructions. High flyers don’t fly by ideas or by much teaching but by obeying instructions.
My friend, God is in control of every circumstance you’re facing today. Always invite Master Jesus into the situation. Jesus is the Master over trouble marriages, attacks, temptation, weakness, fear, lack, barrenness, impatience, sickness, unbelief and discouragement. Ask Him for revelation and directions for the way out and He would speak to you. He told Peter, don’t quit “…launch out into the deep and get down your nets…” What an instruction! What a prophetic utterance! Peter decided to respond, in faith, to the divine instruction by saying, “…nevertheless, at Your Word, I will…” And he was rewarded!
My friend, the majesty and sovereignty of God’s voice in your situation is the gateway to solution. Revelation is the answer to frustrations and the cure for all tears (Isa 60:20; Rev 5:4-5). On the other side of your decision to obey God’s voice (or His Word, His command, His law, His instruction) and also make Jesus the Lord of your life and the Lord of your situation, then salvation, breakthrough, deliverance, victory, prosperity, fruitfulness and blessings await you so great that it will also touch those around you. When God speaks, He commits Himself to perform what He says (1 Thes. 5:24). He sustains only what He ordains!
My friend, you need to catch God’s voice to become a voice. Operating your life, home, ministry, business, government, even the Church of Jesus, as commanded by God, puts you in supernatural command. It is time to break the spirit of fear, weariness, doubt, murmuring, discouragement, division, defeat, disobedience, unbelief and failure. It is time to quit doing things in our own way but in God’s way. No matter the challenges, attack or persecution, my friend, press on, move on, continue praising God, keep doing what’s right, keep putting efforts to what you are doing, keep renewing your mind, keep walking with God in faith, keep on obeying Him and praying with expectation, keep being part of the team that makes things happen! Don’t give up! Don’t quit! Don’t be weary! Remain blessed.
Jesus is Lord!
Kindly follow us on twitter:@AfricanVoice2
