“As for you brothers do not grow weary in doing good.”
-2 Thessalonians 3:13
I think about what we were praying according to in 2 Thessalonians 3:13, it’s just a one short phrase. “Do not grow weary in doing good.” And I just want to encourage you with those words today. Obviously, I don’t know all that’s going on in your life, but I’ve got a feeling that there are many people listening to this right now who feel weary in different ways, for different reasons, that you feel weary, weak.
They’re just a variety of things around you in your life, in your family, in your work, in church, whatever it may be, that have contributed to wariness in your life, that there’s a desire for rest. And on one hand, I want to encourage you to rest in Jesus today and his love for you. Rest in his promises to you, rest in his sovereignty, over all things, to know that he has all things in his hand, including you. In Psalm 37:24, he talks about how he upholds you with his righteous right hand, that there is a rest we can find in him that supersedes everything this world may throw at us.
2 Thessalonians 3:13 Encourages Us
And at the same time, I want to encourage you amidst your wariness in a variety of ways, don’t grow weary in doing good. Yes, seek the Lord for rest amidst your wariness in a variety of ways, but as you rest in him, don’t grow weary in doing good, and encouraging others who are also weary around you, and pointing others to the rest and joy and peace and love and salvation, life that are found in Jesus, and loving your neighbor as yourself.
Don’t grow weary in doing good, in building up others according to their needs in Christ Jesus, and walking in holiness and integrity and righteousness, in honoring the Lord with your words and your desires and your motives and your thoughts. And don’t grow weary in any of these things. Don’t grow weary in loving your family and friends and neighbors and coworkers. Don’t grow weary in doing good. And don’t let your wariness become a reason for doing evil. Don’t let the adversary use your weariness to keep you from doing good.
2 Thessalonians 3:13 Helps Us Not to Grow Weary
Oh God, I pray that over every single person listening right now, including my own life, amidst weariness. God, we pray that you would help us not to grow weary in doing good. God, help us to excel in doing good. By the power of your strength in us, by your grace at work in us. By your goodness in us, God, we pray amidst weariness for rest in you. For rest in all the ways you mentioned earlier, your love for us and your promises to us. Your hope in us, your power in us. God, we pray for your strength, for your peace, and for your wisdom. All the things that we find in you alone.
Praying for God’s Help
God, we pray for your help in all these ways and as you supply us with all that we need amidst weariness, we pray that you would help us not to ever grow weary in doing good. By your strength in us today. Help us to thrive in doing good. For others’ good, for our good. Ultimately for your glory, that people may see goodness in us and give glory to you in heaven. God, we pray this according to your word in 2 Thessalonians 3:13, in Jesus’ name, amen.
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
