IN DUE SEASON
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Galatians 6:9
Perseverance and faithfulness are essential qualities in the Christian life. Many have quit the fight or left the narrow path because of discouragement or disappointment. Because they did not see the evidence or results of their efforts, they decided to give in to defeat. God encourages us not to grow “weary in well doing.” How can we insure that we will not one day “faint”? One thing we are taught to remember is that “in due season we shall reap.” The day of harvest will come for those who are faithful.
A common reason people quit doing what is right is because they begin to doubt if their toil will be rewarded. The phrase “we shall reap” is such a positive and emphatic declaration. In an earlier verse from the same chapter, it says, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7). The devil wants to deceive us. He wants to convince us that we can sow, yet not reap. This simply is not so. “We shall reap.” Our giving, going, serving, and praying are not in vain. Our investment in the lives of others is not wasted. The time and energy we have poured into people and ministries are not a mistake. It is always too early to quit. We should continue with “well doing.” It is always right to do right. We should not allow our minds to entertain the notion that our labor might somehow be in vain.
But, when will we reap? The Bible says that “in due season” we will reap, if we do not faint. We know we will reap, but we do not know when that will be. We do know that it will be IN DUE SEASON. It will be when God ordains. We will reap when the time is right. Quite frankly, there are many things that we have done in service to the Savior that we may not know the results of until we get to Heaven.
Some may say, “That is not soon enough. I need to see the fruit of my labor now.” We need to leave the timing of our reward in God’s hands. He will make sure that we reap IN DUE SEASON. Our responsibility is not to determine nor dictate the time of the harvest. It is not wise to give God deadlines concerning such things. We leave the final results to God. Our duty is to remain faithful at our post. We are to keep doing what is right, and believe that God will bring the harvest IN DUE SEASON.