Read Gen. 13:1-17
It’s so frustrating and disheartening when all one gets when one does good is pain and disappointments. No positive result(s) or reward to show for it. Always in a disadvantaged corner. It’s like you are just there to be a sacrificial lamb.
Contemplating on giving up because you feel frustrated, disheartened or disadvantaged? Never you do that. Listen to me, when you disadvantaged yourself to the advantage of another, God will re-advantage you. Your good and sacrificial actions will attract his reward. Just be patient with God and you will see how wonderfully he will re-advantage you.
Abraham was a shining example. For peace between his herds men and that of his nephew Lot, he had to disadvantage himself by giving Lot the leverage to make the first choice (cf. Gen. 13:8-9). Lot made did attracted by beauty (remember the saying that all that glitters are not gold), unknown to him that the physical beauty was filled with wickedness and sin (v.13); and you know what happened, he was capture (cf. Gen. 14:1-16) and place was destroyed (Gen. 19:1-25). He left Abraham with the rocky plains. How did he expects Abraham herds to feed?
Abraham acted out of love and of the goodness in his heart and reaped the blessings of God from what seemed physically disadvantaged (vv. 14-17).
Don’t let that frustration or seemingly acts of ingratitude prevent you from receiving your own wonderful blessing as Abraham did. I tell you prophetically now that your God will re-advanteged you for all the times you have disadvantaged yourself in good works for others. Don’t give up in being good for it pays a great deal.
Pray now against every inclination of giving up in doing good. Pray too for the grace to carry on. Pray with the song “Christ is my rock, my refuge, my stronghold…” Pray too with Ps. 121, 123. Study and meditate on Deut. 16.
SHEPHERD ME O LORD BEYOND MY STRENGTH.