1 Corinthians 15:58 says, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” Galatians 6:9 admonishes, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”
As we are approaching the last month of classes, it is important that we hold to the encouragement found in these verses. As easy as it is to coast to finals, to resign yourself to the current status of your grades or to throw in the towel, these verses remind of us the importance of being steadfast, of continuing on despite how tired we are or how homesick we are.
God has each of us in that class, that major or that dorm room for a reason, for “we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” (Rom 8:28) We know He has us here, in this place, in this moment, for a reason that will ultimately further His kingdom and bring honor to Him. We push on to do our best in The Making of the Modern World or Bible Doctrines because we know we are where God wants us – that is reason enough for us to give our best. “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.” (Col. 3:23-24)
But these verses go so much deeper than just encouraging us to give our best in our classes, our jobs or our majors. It’s easy to grow weary in well-doing in our personal lives. As projects pile up and finals loom closer, it becomes easier to let your guard down against that one sin you’ve always struggled with – to find comfort in that one show you know you shouldn’t be watching, to relax your caution when it comes to your speech or text that one person you know has a tendency to bring you down with them. We must be steadfast, unmovable, abounding in the work of the Lord even when it’s so easy to stop fighting in our personal lives.
Often our effort and motivation are spent on keeping up in classes, eating healthy or making time for friends, and when we come to the effort it takes to form a habit of daily Bible reading or spend time in prayer, we feel exhausted from how much we’ve been pushing ourselves, even in good things. What we don’t stop to consider is that by making sure we take that time in prayer and God’s Word, we are being revitalized by the Holy Spirit and strengthened so that we can continue in well-doing in all our other responsibilities.
Faint not in these last few weeks of the semester. Prioritize your walk with God and let Him give you the strength to not be weary in well-doing.
