“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
How often I need to be reminded of this verse! However, I need to think of it backwards. First, I need to be reminded that our labor in the Lord is not in vain. Even when we see no rewards of it. When it seems as if all we do is labor and there is never a response. We never see growth. In fact, we may even see those we’re working with backslide and even relapse. That’s when I need to be reminded that work in Lord is not a waste of time. God will use it in His good time!
Once I’ve been encouraged by the last of the verse, I can move back to the beginning of the verse. Since I know that God will use whatever labor I do in His name, I must do three things:
- Stand firm. For some reason, I think of myself on a mountain trail. There’s a wall on one side and a drop-off on the other. My job is to stay firmly rooted on the trail. No veering to either side. Of course, our spiritual walk is not quite so clear-cut. We can’t always tell when we’re veering until after we’ve fallen off the cliff, or run smack into the stone wall. Therefore:
- Let nothing move you. A strong wind gust may come along. Something we didn’t see coming. That phone call in the middle of the night. The diagnosis. The harsh words of a loved one. Don’t let it move you. Or maybe we’re enamored by the beautiful view and want to climb to some dangerous place to “get a better view.” Don’t try it! Let nothing move you.
- Give yourself fully. Not the left-over parts of us, not if we feel like it, not even some of the time. Always give yourself fully. How is that possible?! I think it’s a heart issue. God’s not asking us to work so hard for Him that we drive ourselves into the ground. Rather, I believe He’s saying that if we do everything to His glory, then it will not be in vain. I’m reminded of a teenager I knew who had volunteered a month of her summer at a camp for other teens. I walked in when she was busy making 200 sandwiches. With a big grin on her face she said, “I’m making sandwiches for Jesus!” She was giving herself fully.
We may never see the results of our labor this side of heaven, but rest assured that God uses even the feeblest attempts to serve Him. I know that because of the verse right before this one: “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”