If you are weary, don't give up!

Galatians 6:9 (NIV)

9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

The apostle gives encouragement to the Galatians. Though we all grow weary in our efforts to do well; there is a benefit to not giving up. We must press forward with good hope that we can accomplish what we set out to do.

R. L. Russell writes in “Triumphing over Trials”, John Claypool, when he was the preacher of the Crescent Hill Baptist Church here in town, had a little daughter who suffered with leukemia. When she went into remission, everybody thought maybe God had healed her. On an Easter Sunday morning she went into a terrible recurrence. In his book, Tracks of a Fellow Struggler, Claypool relates how for two weeks his daughter was wracked with pain, her eyes swollen shut. She asked him, "Daddy, did you talk to God about my leukemia?"

He said, "Yes, dear, we've been praying for you."

She asked, "Did you ask him how long the leukemia would last? What did God say?"

What do you say to your daughter when you can't help her, and the heavens are silent? Emotionally and spiritually he was exhausted. A few hours later, she died. The following Sunday morning, John Claypool got into the pulpit to preach. I've heard the tape. It's one of the most powerful sermons I've heard. He preached on (Isaiah 40:31), which says, "Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

Dr. Claypool said something to the effect, "There are three stages of life. Sometimes we mount up with wings as an eagle and fly. We're on top of the world. Sometimes we run, and we don't grow weary. We just go through the routine. Sometimes it's all we can do to walk and not faint, and I need your prayers and your encouragement."

At the moment John Claypool was at his lowest, he preached probably his most influential sermon. Perhaps his greatest contribution came at his darkest hour. He could have said like Paul, "For when I am weak, then I am strong."

There are some of you reading this thinking, “It is all I can do to walk and not faint today.” You have been through some tough struggles. Maybe life has been unfair in various ways and you just seem to be pushed to the bottom of life’s barrel.

But let us always remember, “When we are weak, then we are made strong.” The grace and mercy of Christ comes through in those difficult moments to life us up and keep us moving.

For those who are struggling, I pray God will minister to you, comfort you, calm you, nurture you, and care for you. Even when you don’t feel like loving yourself, just know God loves you more than you will ever know.