Text: “He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him” (Psalm 126:6). 

Questions: Ever felt defeated? Ever felt like you left it all on the field but it wasn’t enough? Ever felt like your labors were in vain? Ever felt like, “Why bother? No one even cares?” 

Possible responses: I think we’ve all felt some variation on that theme, at least sometimes. If we are honest, if we’ve labored at something with passion, with diligence, with love and concern, it is possible that at times we failed to see what we envisioned–at least in the timeframe we desired for it. I think, for example, of all the years Edison spent inventing–trying and failing, trying and failing. But eventually . . . success! 

About verse 6 quoted above, the great Reformed preacher and evangelist George Whitefield wrote, “This, my dear brothers, is the greatest charity possible, to save a soul from death.” 

Encouragement: In my favorite book of the Bible, Ecclesiastes, Solomon wrote this: “Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days” (Eccl 11:1). Yes and amen. Let us labor in love, in truth, and trust the Lord for the results. He will not fail.