I'm Tired

Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. (Hebrews 6:9-12 ESV).

Like Sleepy of the Disney Seven Dwarfs many of us could say, “I’m tired.” I’ve both heard and said those words so many times in so many different circumstances. It is that moment when we question whether someone has switched our coffee to decaf without our knowing it. It is that moment when we simply feel like quitting. Nevertheless, it’s always too early to quit in life. No matter where we are in our Christian walk, we must press on diligently. In our reading today, the writer encourages us to do good “until the end.” Like some other places in the Scripture, this place is one I could have done without. I have said before that I am always a little surprised that I woke up today. It is a pleasant surprise most days; but, it is still a surprise. When I think of heaven, I am always homesick. Please don’t misunderstand. I love being here with family and friends. I feel a real sense of accomplishment in the continued opportunities of life; however, a rest would be just fine too. Knowing that I did indeed wake up today, let’s see if I can point out another principle of living the transformed life for us to ponder a bit. Perseverance in life is one of those things we must do in living this life. It’s a matter of diligence. We’ve seen diligence before. It was previously in the passage from Romans 12:11, but there, it was called zeal, coupled with spiritual fervor. But it’s the same Greek word with different nuance in the range of meaning. Diligence is putting one foot after the other, keeping busily about our work, not letting distractions drag us off track or off task, and not letting discouragement get the better of us. It’s a dedication to the work to be done whether or not anyone acknowledges what we are doing. That’s because while people might not notice our work, God always does. More than simply noticing, God does not forget. That’s because to God, it’s evidence of your love for Him when you help others. So we persevere, faithfully doing good and showing love to God and others as we walk our individual journey. Even when you are so tired, so ready to quit… take another step. There is rest waiting for all of the faithful.