Keep Doing Right

Day 44- Keep Doing Right

Galatians 6:9 NIV

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

So many lessons here, but a few will be sufficient for our thoughts today: First of all, we must settle on what God says is good, not the things that customs, traditions, conventions and the nature of man say are right. One of the gravest dangers we have exposed ourselves today is that we have allowed the fear of man guide our actions. We want to earn man's respect, we want to be accepted, we want to move in the 'right' circles, we want to be loved, so we blend in, compromise and stand for nothing. Our principles are on shaky grounds, our foundations are faulty and our 'faith' is tied to the things we can see. God is the ultimate decider of what is good and necessary for us to do, and he has made this known through his Word. As we read and seek his help to understand, we know what he expects and we are quick to obey because it is in obedience to his word that our lives can make impact.

Secondly, there is no guarantee that you will always enjoy doing good. There will be times you will wonder why you brother at all, there will be times that you will have no motivation to keep doing 'good', there will be times when people will pay you back evil for the good that you have done. What do you do: how do you react? God's Word here makes something clear: my doing good is not because I want you to reciprocate by doing good back to me, but I do good because the good God, who has himself been good to me, commands that I do good to others. I do good, not because of earthly reward, but because of eternal rest. I do good, not because it is always convenient, but because when I weigh what God has already given me, nothing is too much for me to give back to him.

Thirdly, everything has a reward, good or bad. Once our focus shifts from the right foundation, everything else that we do is warped and crooked. We do 'good' sometimes, expecting to be paid back almost immediately, or within a specific period of time. We do 'good' and when it appears as if the 'reward' delays, we become weary and de-motivated. We do good atimes, so we can feel good about ourselves. Let me remind you: your doing good is not because of others, but because God commands it. Whatever he commands, he will reward obedience to it 'at his own time', not ours. We have a sense of timing that God has no respect for. We look at our 'mates' , expecting that we should be at par with them. I hear people sing songs, praying that they will always be equal to their mates. People, life is not a competition or a comparison; it is an individual race, a personal relationship, a unique lifestyle. God does not call in groups, or equip in groups. He calls us as individuals, equips us and puts us in the world where we can be blessings, or he brings other people who are similarly gifted to assist or complement us, and he brings such people our way for a reason or a season. Never run ahead of him, or think that he is slow. Everything works out in his own time and in his own way. All I need to do is to keep doing 'good'. The rewards are sure if we do not give up it give in to discouragement. His time of favour is here.

PRAYER- Lord, keep my focus solely on you. Help me keep on doing good, even when there seems to be no reward or nobody is taking notice. You are the Righteous judge, and at the right time, you will abundantly bless. Amen.