It’s the same old routine, day in and day out. You may feel like you are in a rut that you can’t escape. It’s like the hamster wheel continues to stay in motion while you don’t seem to be getting anywhere. That’s the definition of the rat race we all experience at times. It’s also known as the daily grind. The word “grind” literally means to rub a material with force to break it into tiny pieces but used metaphorically this phrase refers to a routine or task that wears one down through repetition and dullness. The phrase has been in use for centuries, attesting to the common feelings humans share about the banality of our routines.

At this point in the year, we see the holidays in the rear-view mirror and have settled back into our routines. Coupled with the cold and possibly harsh winter that lays ahead, it is easy for us to get discontented with the daily grind. Yet, the apostle Paul gives us some encouragement to keep our vision fresh. Read through Galatians 6:7-10 for some context.

First, Paul tells us to “be not deceived” (v.7). What we do during the lulls of life truly matters. We must stay vigilant and diligent to make right choices, keep on pace with our goals, and establish routines that honor the Lord. We must not allow ourselves to be deceived into the wrong thinking that “nothing matters anyway”, “nobody will know”, or “my life has no impact”. Every little decision we make during the daily grind adds up to have a great effect on who we are in Christ. As Paul puts it, “whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (v.7).

Second, we are told that “he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting” (v.8). How are you spending your time? What do your thoughts dwell on? Yes, sowing to the Spirit will require us to do things for the Lord, but it starts as a mental game. We must fill our mind with Scripture and spend time meditating on it. The Psalmist confirms “My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.” (Psalm 63:5-6). We must dwell on the things of the Lord through the day-to-day doldrums. It is God’s Word and prayer that will give us hope through these times.

Third, there is hope that the daily grind will be rewarded. “In due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (v.9). There is light at the end of the tunnel. Perhaps the greatest discouragement of the same routine is the loss of this hope that better things lie ahead. It takes time to sow, cultivate and care for a crop. Yet, the yield at the end of the summer is worth the effort. In the same way, we must recognize that a harvest is coming. There is a reward for staying faithful and diligent through the daily grind.

Finally, Paul tells us to get up and do something. “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith” (v.10). This is good advice any time, but especially when we are getting worn down by life. Plan out a way you can be a blessing to someone in your church family. Invite some folks over on a cold, winter night for dinner and a game night. Join in the fellowship and worship when the church doors are open. Just your presence is an encouragement to others and you will find it to be a blessing in your life as well.

It’s easy to let the daily grind get you down, wear you thin, and crush your soul into tiny pieces. These times when life is in a rut are prime opportunities for Satan to attack your faith, distract you from your hope, and disassociate you from your greatest source of help. Yes, it will take some work on our part, but we must not allow ourselves to be “weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”