YES and NO.

How many of you have, at one point in your life, felt tired of doing good things?

image borrowed.

Last night, I had a “truth” discussion with a good friend. For all the things that we have been through as friends, I could say that we have pretty much established a friendship based on truth. We have, in fact, yelled at each other in the past out of our struggle to speak the truth and handle anger at the same time.

He was trying to keep points of how many times we have helped each other on our most undeserving-of-help moments. He pointed out how far ahead I am and told me how he hopes I would never get tired of it.

His question brought me to more questions and some good realizations.

Do I really get tired?

Is it really tiring to help friends at their undeserving-of-help moments?

Do I get tired of helping others when I have my own problems to worry about?

The answer?

YES and NO.

Just when we think kindness begets kindness, people can cheat us. When we do good things, we expose ourselves to the possibility of being taken advantage of. When we speak the truth we should be ready with a possible rejection, or worse, indifference. When we do what's right we fearlessly expose ourselves to the possibility of being hurt. What could be more painful than being hurt in doing what is good? Isn't it much easier to accept pain when it rooted from something bad that we did?

So do I really get tired? YES I DO.

Is it really tiring to help friends at their undeserving-of-help moments? YES IT IS.

Do I get tired of helping others when I have my own problems to worry about?

YES I DO.

If you ask my friends the same questions about me, nine times out of ten, they will also answer the same way. Why?

Because the human heart and mind can only fathom so much; that’s why we need God. Even that little that we can fathom is, still, from His grace. If our mindset is based on human standards, we will get tired of everything and anything good that we do.

However, if our mindset is based on something greater and bigger than all of us combined, we won’t get tired.

…whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31B

When you do things for God instead, you get the grace and the overflowing love which sustain your energy and willingness to do more. When you get the love from God, you become overwhelmed that you are left with no choice but to share it. It will overflow and you will not have enough room for it.

So do I really get tired? NO I DON’T.

Is it really tiring to help friends at their undeserving-of-help moments? NO IT ISN’T.

Do I not get tired of helping others when I have my own problems to worry about? NO I DON’T.

It’s just a matter of changing our perspective and focusing on what really matters most.

Let me share with you something I stumbled upon just when am about to finish this entry. These lines will definitely go to my list of favorite quotes. 

People are often unreasonable and self-centered.

Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives.

Be kind anyway.

If you are honest, people may cheat you.

Be honest anyway.

If you find happiness, people may be jealous.

Be happy anyway.

The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow.

Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough.

Give your best anyway.

For you see, in the end, it is between you and God.

It was never between you and them anyway.

Mother Theresa