Verse: 1 Corinthians 15:58
58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, 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.

Devotion
It is easy to wonder if any of it really matters. Does my living for Jesus matter? Does my sacrifice for him matter? For instance, you choose to live your life a certain way, to say no to certain earthly pleasures, to even be “different” around your friends and coworkers. Does it matter? Or, you give of yourself to help others—you spend lots of time praying for others, or you give of your free time to serve those in need, or you host a small group in your house, or serve in kids ministry. Does it matter?

This verse is an encouragement for you this morning. Let the Lord speak to your heart through it. Your labor in the Lord is not in vain. Can you picture Jesus saying that to you? Your sacrifice for him is not in vain. Your time spent serving others is not in vain. Your money given generously is not in vain. Your hours spent in prayer are not in vain. The times you’ve made decisions to live like Jesus morally even though it cost you socially are not in vain.

God honors each and every one of those big and small sacrifices you’ve made for the Gospel. This is the encouragement: always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord. Don’t let discouragement creep in. Don’t believe the Enemy’s lie that none of it matters, that you aren’t good enough, that your sacrifices for the Gospel aren’t producing any fruit, that nobody cares (or sees) what you do. God sees. And he promises that your work is not in vain. He is using it. Every time.

So always give yourself to his work. Don’t stop. Don’t give up. Because you can stand on the promise that your labor is not in vain.

Prayer
Thank you Jesus that you stand with me. I pray that you would use my life to glorify you and bless others.

Author: Christian Dunn