What if I'm Tired of Doing Good?

“What is the point of praying? God is not listening!” That is what I told my prayer partner one night when we were getting ready to pray. I know, that’s not the best thing to say to your sister in Christ, especially when you are a pastor by vocation.

Our “job” is to encourage others to connect to God, but sometimes life is so hard, and no matter how hard we pray, things are not going the right way, especially for those who love, serve, and give to God. I said what I said to my prayer partner because she and I have been praying for different things in our lives, but none of them have come true, or we are still waiting for a breakthrough.

I guess you can say I was venting to her, and here’s why: Why don’t good people who love Jesus see their prayers answered? Why are we still in the same place? No shift. No change. Everything is the same. Perhaps you can relate…and maybe it has bothered you just as it has bothered me.

That same night, I remember telling her of someone I know who has been trying to have a baby for a long time. She married a Christian person, and both she and her husband serve God, but rather than having a baby, they are still barren! The worst part of the story is that after eight years of marriage, they finally got pregnant and then lost the baby at 10 weeks. Now, nearly ten years later, they have not been able to conceive again! Does that make sense?

And yet some people who don’t care about God, who will never step into a church, have never had a miscarriage, and have had not just one baby, but maybe two or three or more!

What is the Point?

Perhaps there is no point in doing what is good. Why bother to pray? Why bother attending church? Why read the Bible? Why give to God? If it’s not producing what we thought it would in our lives, then why try?

Maybe you feel that way right now. You are tired. Worn out. You have no energy. In fact, you want to walk away and quit. I’ve been there, and I am sure many others can say the same.

But giving up is exactly where the enemy of God wants you. That is what he wants you to believe. If he gets you in that place, he has won the battle of making you doubt God and lose faith. But don’t fall for his lies or temptations!

Turn to Scripture

So then what are we supposed to do when we feel drained and exhausted? The Bible helps us in this area. Galatians 6: 9 says,

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

I suppose the Lord knew we would get weary in doing good, and that's why he included a verse in one of Paul’s letters to the church in Galatia to remind them not to give up. But here is what is in the verse: keep doing what is right and at the proper time, you will reap a harvest if you don’t give up.

Did you catch the key to the verse? It says "at the proper time." Time is what is holding us back, in particular God’s time. God knows what He is doing. It is just a matter of time. So we should keep doing what we need to do until the proper time comes.

This means: Keep showing up to work. Keep reading that Bible. Keep putting the dishes in the washer. Keep giving an offering to God. Keep drinking water to stay healthy. Keep doing good. At the right time, you will reap a harvest if you don’t give up. It is just a matter of time: our good deeds and acts before God will produce something. And in the end, it will work out for all of us.

Those Who Continued Doing Good in the Bible

• I know this to be true for Joseph, who still served God even though he was betrayed by his brothers, accused of rape, and put in prison, but he came to a position of power.
• I know this to be true for David, who was destined to be king but had to live with integrity when King Saul was trying to kill him, and who still became Israel’s king.
• I know this to be true for Job, who lost his family, assets, and his health, but came out stronger and better.
• I know this to be true for Naomi, who lost her husband and two sons, but gained a daughter-in-law named Ruth, and a grandson named Obed.

You see, all of these people loved God but had to go through trials, temptations, and problems, and in the end, their good works and love for God paid off! The same will happen for us. Our good works are not in vain; we just have to wait for God’s right time, and when we do, something big is in store for us.