Devotionals for the Heart: We should not become weary in doing good

When Loving Others and Doing Good is Difficult
A devotional by Leslie Bake

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

—Galatians 6:7-9 (NIV)

I’m a natural encourager because I thrive on encouragement from others.

Encouragement and affirmation are like oxygen to my soul. When someone notices how much time and effort I put into a project and compliments me, it’s a blessing and I’m grateful. But what happens when my encouragement and affirmation of others are met with silence? What if I am doing my best in a difficult situation only to feel insulted or criticized?

If I’m honest, not all my motives are pure. Sometimes I encourage others because I want to earn favor with them. But when those whom I have tried to love, encourage and affirm do not receive it well or do not reciprocate, I feel empty and offended. Lately, I’ve asked myself, “Am I searching for validation, affirmation and love through others instead the Lord? Am I expecting others to do what only the Lord can do? Am I offended that I’m not receiving the same encouragement I think I am so generously giving?” The answer to all the above is, “Yes.”

It is easy to become offended. It’s easy to allow hurt and bitterness to take over our hearts when we do good things but see no tangible results. We must pause and ask ourselves why we are offended. How do we deal with this in a way that honors God?

The Lord revealed to me that I was walking in selfish, conditional love that is easily disappointed when my expectations are not met. John Bevere, founder of Messenger International, is also an author. He explains this in his book, The Bait of Satan: Living Free from the Deadly Trap of Offense. Bevere said, “Without God we can only love with a selfish love—one that cannot be given if it is not received and returned. However, agape loves regardless of the response. This agape is the love Jesus shed when He forgave from the cross.”

In Galatians 6:9-10 (NIV), The Apostle Paul writes, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”

Bevere explains this Biblical truth further when he says, “You need to realize that when you sow the love of God (agape) you will reap the love of God. You need to develop faith in this spiritual law—even though you may not harvest it from the field in which you sowed, or as quickly as you would like.”

The love that caused Jesus Christ to die for us is the same love that has sent the Holy Spirit to live in us and guide us every day. The power that raised Christ from the dead is the same power that saved you and can be yours every day. Having begun a life with Christ, you have a reservoir of power and love to call upon each day for help to meet every challenge or trial. You can pray for God’s power and loving help as you need it.

God sees every good deed we do and knows our motivations better than we do. We need to go to Him in prayer to check in with ourselves. Are we giving encouragement to others, affirming and loving others from an outpouring of love for our God, or to gain favor?

I realized that I needed to let go of the bitterness festering in my heart simply because some people did not reciprocate my “generous encouragement” the way I hoped they would. My tendency is to expect others to do what only He can do, and sometimes others are so consumed by their own challenges unknown to me that they have nothing to give. When I feel empty and hopeless, I am learning to shift from those feelings to God’s promise in Isaiah 40:31 (NIV): “But 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.”

Here's what I’ve learned: When we are mired in bitterness, our guard goes up like the walls that surrounded ancient cities. Our energy is consumed by making sure no further offenses occur. Yet, if we refuse to risk feeling offended again, we are not capable of giving unconditional love. The paradox is that loving unconditionally gives others the right to offend us. How do we find the strength to love unconditionally?

You focus on the truth in Galatians 6:7-9 and also Romans 5:8 that states that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Christ didn’t wait for us to reciprocate His love because He knew we weren’t able to do this without Him.

Is there someone who has offended you, whether they realize it or not? Is there a friend or family member whom you have tried to love, yet he or she consistently rejects you? Ask God to pour agape love into your heart. He is the source. You can’t love people unconditionally without His help. Focus on who God’s character and His Sovereignty. Ask God to remove the pain and bitterness from your heart so that you can love with a pure heart. This may take some time and healing, but the freedom you will experience is worth it.

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Forgive us for harboring bitterness in our efforts to love others who can’t or won’t reciprocate. We need You, Jesus. We ask that You replace our expectations of others with unconditional, agape love for them. We ask for an outpouring of Holy Spirit power to do this. Help us come to the place where we trust You, not our flesh, to protect us from offense. 

In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “Forgiveness” by Matthew West. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “The Jesus Way” by Phil Wickham. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “How Beautiful” by Twila Paris. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Leslie Bake grew up Lutheran in Des Moines, graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with an undergraduate degree in English, and with a new understanding of what a relationship with the Lord could look like. 

She spent a few years reporting and editing in small town journalism and then began pursuing a master’s degree at Iowa State University in teaching English to speakers of other languages. Then she got married and later went through a divorce, which deepened her relationship with God and transformed her life.

Leslie taught English as a second language for three years at Kansas State University, then returned to writing and earned a master’s degree in creative non-fiction in Pittsburgh. Her memoir will eventually be published. It details the process of how the Lord created beauty from the ashes of divorce.

Pittsburgh is also where she met and married her second husband. They are now the parents of two wonderful children—one in fifth grade and one in first grade.

Leslie and her husband make their home in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Leslie has been a stay-at-home mom for the past 11 years and actively growing her writing career alongside her two growing children.

She now maintains a monthly blog of her own and is working toward expanding her writing ministry on Substack. Her heart’s deepest desire is to help others connect with God through writing.

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Connect with Leslie:
Website: lesliejoybake.com
Substack: lesliebake.substack.com
E-mail address: Leslie.bake@yahoo.com