"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 6:9
Weariness has come in many forms this month for me. It has come in the form of nasty emails sent without thought. It has come after a meaningful discussion with Santana, Carlos, Jaden, or Ty'Shawn only to find them throwing a new tantrum, trying to steal my clipboard, running away from me, or biting another scholar only minutes after our "sincere" conversation. It comes with looking at the clock reading 5:00pm and knowing there are hours more of grading, cleaning, and planning to do before I would feel prepared for the next day.
So how do we find the strength not to give up and the let the weariness choke out the life within us? How do we carry on when we do not know the proper time at which our harvest will be reaped?
We must hold fast to the One who never grows weary and allow the Holy Spirit to inspire new perspective on our work. A confrontational email can turn into an opportunity to build a deeper relationship. Not giving up on conversations with students and trusting that at the "proper time" those sincere words will play out in their actions. Finding a new way to prioritize my work so that what needs to get done is finished and trusting that if nothing else my spirit will be at peace.
In at lease one area of my life I have had the pleasure of reaping a beautiful harvest in this season. My middle school volleyball team played their last game on Saturday to become the runner up of the Northeast Ohio Charter Volleyball League. More importantly the girls learned how to encourage one another, build their self-esteem, and improve their volleyball skills. One of the best moments of the season for me was driving one of my girls home and hearing her say..."that other team doesn't even act like a family."
If we trust the One who makes the harvest possible it is with great confidence that we can carry on knowing that our weariness is not forever.
