It’s a New Year and with every New Year comes the time of looking back and looking forward. We take time to look back to determine our effectiveness and we look forward to fix our eyes and focus our energies on what is before us in anticipation of all that could possibly be. And somewhere in between those two thoughts, a few subtle questions begin to rise in our natural brain. Or maybe I should clarify that and say, in my natural brain, I sometimes entertain these questions.

 

  1. Am I being effective?
  2. Is what I am doing really making a difference?
  3. Is what I am seeing worth the investment of time, energy, and sacrifice?
  4. Does it really matter to anyone?

 

The Holy Spirit highlighted this verse to me a few months ago that really impacted and encouraged me. May its reality have the same or greater impact upon you! I am going to provide you with three translations in hopes that you will receive the full impact! Paul writes to the church in Corinth:

 

First, the New King James

1 Cor 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. (NKJ)

  • What ever you are doing in the work of the Lord is not in vain!!!

 

How about the NLT

1 Cor 15:58 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. (NLT)

  • Nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless regardless of whether you see the effects or not!

 

Finally, the Message

1 Cor 15:58 With all this going for us, my dear, dear friends, stand your ground. And don’t hold back. Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort. (MSG)

  • Nothing you do for the Lord is a waste of time!

 

The criteria laid out for us is to be strong, steadfast,  immoveable, while working enthusiastically and wholeheartedly, for the Lord in all we do. And if those heart attitudes are in place, we can be assured without a shadow of a doubt that what we are doing is not in vain, it will have an impact. Our work is not useless, and it is certainly not a waste of time.

 

Be encouraged and walk in confidence knowing that you are impacting the world around you! Knowing this encourages me to be all in all the time!