How not to grow weary while doing good

Sermon

Text: Epistle to the Galatians 6:9 “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

Title: How Not to Become Weary While Doing Good

Teacher: Maurice F. McMillion, Ph.D.

Story:

A farmer planted Chinese bamboo and watered it every day. For four years, nothing broke the surface. People told him he was wasting his time. But he kept watering.

In the fifth year, the bamboo finally sprouted — and in just six weeks, it shot up over 80 feet.

It didn’t grow 80 feet in six weeks.

It grew 80 feet in five years — underground, where no one could see it.

That’s what doing good often feels like. You don’t see results right away, but God is growing something beneath the surface. Don’t stop watering.

Story: Leaders often look strong on the outside, but the real battle happens in the places no one sees.

There’s a story of a man who visited a construction site where workers were building a massive cathedral. He noticed one worker off to the side, chiseling a small stone with intense focus.

The visitor asked, “Why are you working so hard on that tiny piece? It’s not even part of the main structure.”

The worker pointed to the towering cathedral and said,

“I’m shaping this stone down here so it will fit perfectly up there.”

Most people only saw the cathedral rising.

No one saw the hidden work, the quiet labor, the long hours, the unseen shaping.

Leadership is like that.

You make decisions no one applauds.

You carry burdens no one knows about.

You invest in people who may never say thank you.

You pray prayers no one hears.

You sow seeds that may not sprout for years.

But God sees the stone you’re shaping.

He sees the work done in private.

He sees the faithfulness that never makes the highlight reel.

And in His time—not yours—He fits every unseen act of obedience into something far greater than you imagined.

Introduction:

In the Epistle to the Galatians 6:9, the Apostle offers a powerful exhortation to believers: “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” These words acknowledge a very real challenge in the Christian life. Those who serve God faithfully often encounter moments of exhaustion, discouragement, and frustration. Doing good—serving others, ministering to people, standing for righteousness, and laboring in the work of the Lord—can sometimes become draining when results seem slow or appreciation is limited. Yet Paul encourages believers not to allow weariness to lead them to quit. Instead, he provides encouragement that helps believers continue their faithful service to God.

Homiletical Thesis: How do we keep serving faithfully when doing good becomes exhausting?

Body:

First, believers must remember that doing good is a divine assignment. When Paul speaks of “well doing,” he is referring to actions that are morally good, spiritually beneficial, and pleasing to God. These include serving in ministry, helping those who are burdened, encouraging the discouraged, teaching the truth of Scripture, and demonstrating the love of Christ through practical service. Doing good is not merely optional for believers; it is part of God’s calling upon every Christian life. Earlier in Epistle to the Galatians 6:2, Paul instructs believers to “bear one another’s burdens,” reminding the church that the Christian life is designed to be lived in service to others. Many people grow weary because they forget that their work originates from God’s calling rather than from human expectation. When believers remember that God has assigned the work, equipped them for the task, and placed them in their particular area of service, the burden becomes meaningful. In this way, the believer recognizes that they are not merely serving people but ultimately serving God.

Second, believers must refuse to allow discouragement to stop their work. Paul closes the verse with the phrase “if we faint not,” which means not losing heart or giving up under pressure. Discouragement often arises in the life of those who are actively doing good. Sometimes people become weary because results do not appear immediately, because people fail to appreciate their efforts, or because opposition and criticism arise. Even faithful servants in Scripture experienced moments of discouragement. The prophet Elijah grew weary after his confrontation with the prophets of Baal, and the prophet Jeremiah struggled with the rejection he faced from those to whom he preached. Yet their experiences teach that while discouragement may come, surrendering to it is not inevitable. Believers must guard against emotional fatigue, spiritual neglect, and relational disappointment by continually renewing themselves through prayer, meditation upon the Word of God, and fellowship with other believers. When the believer maintains a strong connection with God, the spirit remains strengthened even in difficult circumstances.

Third, believers must trust that God has promised a harvest. Paul assures the church that “in due season we shall reap.” This statement reflects the agricultural principle of sowing and reaping that Paul explains earlier in Epistle to the Galatians 6:7–8. Just as farmers must wait between planting and harvesting, believers must recognize that spiritual work often requires patience before the results appear. Seeds planted today may not produce visible fruit until much later. Many grow weary because they expect immediate results from their labor, but God works according to His own appointed timing. The phrase “due season” refers to God’s perfect moment for the harvest to appear. A teacher may faithfully instruct students for years before witnessing lasting transformation. A pastor may preach faithfully through many seasons before seeing spiritual renewal among the congregation. A parent may pray faithfully for a child’s salvation for decades before that prayer is answered. Yet Paul assures believers that their labor is not wasted. If they remain faithful and refuse to quit, God promises that the harvest will eventually come.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the message of Galatians 6:9 reminds believers that perseverance is essential in the Christian life. Believers must continue doing good because it is a divine assignment from God, because discouragement must not halt the work, and because God Himself has promised a harvest in due season. Ultimately, the success of Christian service is not determined by immediate recognition or visible results but by faithful perseverance. Those who refuse to faint and continue serving the Lord will eventually see the fruit of their labor, for God never forgets the work done in His name.