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1 Corinthians 15:58 - Labor In The Lord Is Not In Vain.1 Corinthians 15:58 (NIV) Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.1 Corinthians 15:58 (NLT) So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. INTRODUCTION Because of the Resurrection, nothing we do for the Lord is useless. Sometimes we become apathetic about serving the Lord or hesitate to do good because we don't see any results. Knowing that Christ has won the ultimate victory should affect the way we live right now. Don't let discouragement over an apparent lack of results keep you from doing the work of the Lord enthusiastically as you have opportunity, knowing that your work will have eternal results. [Life Application SB 2019] COMMENTARY PEARL In It For The Long Haul Our world operates at a sprint pace. We want fast fixes. Instant gratification. Quick resolutions to our problems. But when it comes to matters of the soul, things cannot be rushed or fixed with a snap of a finger. Things like jealousy, pride, or anger have never been overcome and defeated with a little spiritual duct tape. Becoming more like Jesus isn't an overnight process. It takes time. Intentionality. It requires that you abide in Him. The counteragent for sin isn't quick bursts of holiness. It's the continual digging into the Word of God. It's receiving His good gifts and dwelling on what they tell us about God - that He is trustworthy, engaged, loving, and near to you. The more you receive and the more you invest back into your relationship with God, the more you'll truly know Him. The more you'll look like Him. If you want to put your sins and struggles to death, commit to the long haul, and freedom will come along the way as you steadily pursue God. Dear God, I don't want a quick fix; I want a heart that is content in You. Give me grace today for a long obedience in the same direction. [Grace and Glory by Louie Giglio] COMMENTARY After my fourth book - Moving from Fear to Freedom: A Woman's Guide to Peace in Every Situation - was published, every subsequent idea I pitched to editors for a fifth book was rejected over the course of several years. I began feeling as though my efforts were useless. I lost hope that my work could make a difference in someone's life and entertained thoughts of setting my writing aside to pursue other interests. After all, why invest time and energy into something that didn't bear fruit? One morning, feeling completely deflated, I asked Jesus to show me that day whether He wanted me to continue writing. My phone rang about five hours later. The caller was a stranger who told me that she'd never phoned an author before, but she felt compelled to contact me. She said my book changed her life. She urged me to keep writing. My friend, everyone has seasons of feeling overworked and underappreciated. We might feel as though our labor offers little value to anyone, but I implore you to hold on to hope knowing this truth: our work matters to Jesus. He encouraged me through a stranger to stand firm. So let me encourage you to do the same. Carry on and labor from a heart filled with love for Him. Grace Fox Faith Step: Think of someone you know who does work that often goes unacknowledged. Call, send a text, or mail a card to encourage them. [Mornings With Jesus 2024 Devotional by Guideposts and Zondervan] CLOSING THOUGHT Don't Quit Years ago, I listened as Anna Sklar, the author of a book titled Runaway Wives, shared some shocking statistics: Early in the twentieth century, for every wife or mother who walked away from her home and responsibilities, six hundred husbands and fathers did so. Just ten years later, after the women's liberation movement, for each man who did that, two women did the same. Pause and let that sink in. Do the math. I'm not advocating either side, but I'm just amazed at the unbelievably rapid rise in modern-day women who choose escape as their favorite method of coping. There is not an achievement worth remembering that isn't stained with the blood of diligence and checkered with the scars of disappointment. To quit may feel good now, but it's a bummer when life's bills come due. Churchill put it well: Wars are not won by evacuations. Battles are won in the trenches, in the grit and grime of courageous determination ... not by a violent jerk now and then but a prolonged pull, day in and day out. The same is true of our salvation. The man who bore on his body "the scars that show [he belongs] to Jesus" (Galatians 6:17) was a living example of his own counsel: My dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.... Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love. 1 Corinthians 15:58; 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 Giving thought to giving up? Considering the possibility of quitting? Looking for an easy way out? Entertaining the idea of running away ... stopping before it's finished ... escaping from reality? Admittedly, the holiday season only encourages such feelings of despair. Don't! Instead, I urge you to draw near to God and to His people. Don't retreat, but rather surround yourself with loving, supportive friends. And let God be gracious to you. It's always harder to quit when a few friends stand with you. [Chuck Swindoll www.insight.org.] LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY 1 Corinthians 15:58 - Labor In The Lord Is Not In Vain https://www.abible.com/devotions/2018/20180719-1107.html https://www.abible.com/devotions/1997/19970825-0000.html LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT https://abible.com/links/ |