Organizing the Inside 365 Days
Empowering Christian Women To Get Organized and Discover God's Plan for Their LivesArchive for Hard Work
Organizing the Inside – Day 317 Take Heart; You Are Not In This Alone
7Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. 8Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 9Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith… 10In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. 11All power to him forever! Amen. 1 Peter 5-9a-11 (NLT)
No one believes we should be picking berries and Gerber daisies all day long. Of course because we live in a fallen world, things are not easy or perfect and they simply won’t be until Christ returns. Meanwhile, those of us who are here must realize that there is definitely a great deal of work to do. Nevertheless, God’s will for our life is not based upon some long list of arduous tasks and rituals. When you choose to live a godly life it’s not something that ought to bring you grief. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 1 John 5:3 (KJV) What motivates you to keep going and to keep pursuing righteous living in the face of opposition? For me and for many others, “… the joy of the LORD is our strength.” I believe it is that joy that brings us to a place of personal contentment, even if it seems so many others choose not to follow the same path.
Your choice to live holy is contrary to everything this world has to offer. Although the world resists the ways of God and laughs at your beliefs, take heart, your suffering is nothing new. …Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are. 1 Peter 5:9b (NLT) When faced with opposing forces on an everyday basis, the fight can sometimes wear you down, especially if you attempt to fight in your own strength. Challenges will come, so stay alert as you seek to live a life of righteous pursuits. The one thing to remember is that you are not alone in your desire to live right before God. It’s hard sometimes to find people who really seem determined to live for God. Many may say so, but you later find that they too seem to love the world more than they love God. But you have chosen to live for Christ; for you, there is no turning back. Draw near to God and the people of God, and you will find greater strength and protection. God will most certainly honor your commitment and see you through until the end.
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NLT)
Organizing the Inside – Day 308 Greatness Requires Hard Work
10Then the people of Judah began to complain, “The workers are getting tired, and there is so much rubble to be moved. We will never be able to build the wall by ourselves.” 11Meanwhile, our enemies were saying, “Before they know what’s happening, we will swoop down on them and kill them and end their work.” Nehemiah 4:10, 11 (NLT)
Be willing to put in the time to do the work. Hard work can be very challenging. We all are challenged in one way or another by hard work. God purposed us to be a people who work. Sometimes hard work stretches you to work late into the night or begin early in the morning. Finishing may require you to put in extra time and effort. The walls of Jerusalem would have never been rebuilt if the people didn’t have a mind to work. The benefits and profits that come from work is a resounding theme throughout the Word of God. All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. Proverbs 14:23 (NIV)
Are you hungry to accomplish something?
Then don’t listen to the complaints of others. People who lack heart often lose heart the moment they are faced with opposition. The people of Judah had accomplished rebuilding half the wall, “At last the wall was completed to half its height around the entire city, for the people had worked with enthusiasm.” Nehemiah 4:6 (NLT) Then they started listening to the enemy who only wanted to frustrate them so they would give up. If there is something in your heart that you are determined to complete, understand that complaining about it will only slow you down. Don’t allow your words and your attitude to be used as a handy tool for the enemy. Both your heart and your mind will become weary if you join in and start complaining. (Galatians 6:9) Instead, consider all that you have accomplished so far and keep moving forward. Maintain a state of prayer and allow God to lead you when faced with obstacles.
When the troops seem at bit worn out, it’s often your persistence and leadership that will keep them focused on the outcome. Hard work according to the plan and purpose of God is the key to your personal progress, your team’s productivity, and everyone’s prosperity. Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty. Proverbs 21:5 (NLT)
Organizing the Inside 365 Days 