TIME OFF

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS

365 DEVOTIONS FROM OUR DAILY BREAD

TIME OFF

READ:  2 Thessalonians 3:6-13

Do not grow weary in doing good.

2 Thessalonians 3:13

The teenager’s mom, a bit exasperated by the failure of her youngest child to show the desired maturity, sighed and said,  “Two more years of junior high.”  To which he, in typical style, replied with a smile, “Mom, why don’t you just take the next two years off!”

Often there are things we would simply like to avoid by taking “time off.”  When we have a chronically sick family member, we may be tempted to just “check out” for a while.  When children rebel and make parenting a struggle, we’d prefer a long vacation from the hassle.  Then there are those times when we face great spiritual battles that we would like to skip altogether.

Paul spoke briefly about such struggles in 2 Thessalonians 3.  He mentioned the problem of dealing with people who “walk among you in a disorderly manner,… busybodies” (v. 11).  Facing up to people problems can be frustrating.  But Paul gave part of the solution when he said, “Do not grow weary in doing good” (v. 13).  Another part of the equation is to listen to the psalmist, who said, “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you” (Psalm 55:22).

When it’s not possible to “take the next two years off” we can gain hope from this advice:  Keep doing good and keep casting your care on God.  That’s better than taking time off.  DB

Be not weary in well-doing

When you’re tempted to give up;

Cast on God your every burden,

Trust in Him-keep looking up!-Fitzhugh

When God stretches your patience He is seeking

to enlarge your soul.